ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Carbon Sinks

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Government's policy is on carbon sinks; and what provision the UK can make in this area.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 21 October 2004
	The UK is committed under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to protect and enhance carbon sinks and reservoirs. In order to fulfil this commitment we are expanding the forest estate under the Forest Strategies and policies of the Devolved Administrations. We are doing this in a manner that will provide multiple public benefits including a positive contribution to climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration.
	The Government is also committed to protect soil functions, including maintenance of organic matter levels, via the provisions on soil conservation in the reformed Common Agricultural Policy, and to the development of policies to protect existing stocks of carbon in soil organic matter in England, as described in further detail within the first Soil Action Plan for England, published earlier this year and available on the Defra website (www.defra.gov.uk/environment/land/soil/pdf/soilactionplan.pdf).

Convention on Trade in Endangered Species

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 11 October 2004, Official Report, column 89W, on CITES, if she will break down the numbers of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

Elliot Morley: The information can only be found at disproportionate cost.

Convention on Trade in Endangered Species

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if her Department will support the proposed ban under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species on the international trade in lion trophies and skins.

Elliot Morley: I am not aware of a proposal before CITES to ban international trade in lion trophies and skins. At the CITES 13th Conference of Parties, which has recently concluded in Bangkok, Thailand, the Government of Kenya had proposed that the African lion be uplisted to Appendix I. The Government, in common with other EU member states, had an open position on this proposal pending exploration of the scope for an agreed solution among range States. During the course of the CITES Conference, after discussions with other range states the Government of Kenya withdrew the proposal, noting that there was no regional consensus on the issue and that discussions were under way for convening regional workshops on lion management for which the UK has offered financial support.

Lions

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will examine ways of protecting lions in West and Central Africa.

Elliot Morley: The UK is taking action in many ways to conserve lions in West and Central Africa, particularly through our active participation in the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Lions and other endangered species are generally protected by national law in all the countries they inhabit; they are also protected internationally by regulation of trade under CITES. Through the UK's contributions to the Global Environment Facility (GEF) we are helping developing countries and countries with economies in transition to meet their obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity and to implement their own wildlife protection measures and those required under CITES. In addition the Darwin Initiative, funded by Defra, supports projects which help countries rich in biodiversity but poor in resources to protect their biodiversity and use it sustainably. Since its launch in 1992 it has funded over 300 projects in 100 countries, including granting two three year grants for work on 'Big Cat Conservation and Sustainable Management in Southern Africa'. The output from this project informed a decision by the South African Government to reduce lion hunting quotas. At the recent CITES meeting in Bangkok I announced a contribution of £30,000 to help set up workshops in Africa to gather information on lion management.

Environment Agency

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff the Environment Agency has, broken down by (a) function and (b) region.

Elliot Morley: The Environment Agency has 11,060 staff and the breakdown is as follows:
	
		(a) Environment Agency staff broken down by function
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Central Administration 279 
			 Flood Defence 4,071 
			 Water Resources 1,233 
			 Environmental Protection 3,752 
			 Fisheries 499 
			 Recreation and Conservation 189 
			 Navigation 109 
			 Other activities (mainly central professional services) 928 
			 Total 11,060 
		
	
	Note:
	'Central administration' is defined as Head Office Finance, Human Resources, Facilities, Operational Co-ordination, Payroll and other exchequer services and Audit. 'Other Activities' comprise mainly Corporate Information Systems, National Laboratory Service, Legal, Estates and Procurement.
	
		(b) Environment Agency staff broken down by region
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Anglian 1,311 
			 Midlands 1,172 
			 North east 982 
			 North west 1,122 
			 Southern 839 
			 South west 1,052 
			 Thames 1,475 
			 Wales 964 
			 National staff (all regions) 2,143 
			 Total 11,060 
		
	
	Note:
	'National staff' include Corporate Head Office, national service groups such as Corporate Information Services and Flood Defence contract management, process management teams and operational teams undertaking work on behalf of all regions.

Environmental Offences

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) prosecutions, (b) cautions and (c) enforcement notices there have been in each year since 1999 for offences related to (i) process industry regulations, (ii) radioactive substances regulation, (iii) waste, (iv) water quality, (v) water resources, (vi) flood defences, (vii) fisheries and (viii) navigation as recorded in the National Enforcement Database (A) in total and (B) broken down by region.

Elliot Morley: I will place in the Library of the House material answering this question. The 1999 report covers the period from April 1 only as this was when the data base was begun. The 2004 report covers the period to mid October.

Flood Protection

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much money has been spent on flood protection measures in (a) Yorkshire and the Humber and (b) City of York in each of the last 10 years.

Elliot Morley: The total capital expenditure in each of the last 10 years on flood defence measures in the Environment Agency's Yorkshire Regional Flood Defence Committee area and local authorities areas in Yorkshire and the Humber are as follows:
	
		£000
		
			Financial year EA regional capital expenditure for Yorkshire and Humber Local authority capital expenditure in Yorkshire and Humber 
		
		
			 1994–95 7,932 217 
			 1995–96 11,667 517 
			 1996–97 12,148 13 
			 1997–98 10,795 531 
			 1998–99 11,793 228 
			 1999–2000 12,890 85 
			 2000–01 14,505 — 
			 2001–02 19,969 653 
			 2002–03 30,405 — 
			 2003–04 25,675 455 
			 Total 157,779 2,699 
		
	
	Total capital expenditure in each of the last 10 years for flood defence measures in the City of York is given as follows:
	
		£000
		
			 Financial year EA capital expenditure in the City of York 
		
		
			 1994–95 — 
			 1995–96 — 
			 1996–97 — 
			 1997–98 25 
			 1998–99 135 
			 1999–2000 25 
			 2000–01 — 
			 2001–02 400 
			 2002–03 — 
			 2003–04 100 
			 Total 685

Government Grants (Buckingham)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people in the Buckingham constituency have received funding from the (a) rural enterprise scheme, (b) processing and marketing grants scheme and (c) vocational training scheme since their introduction, indicating the level of funding received from each scheme.

Alun Michael: Since the inception of the England Rural Development Programme five awards of grant have been made to people in the constituency of Buckingham.
	The awards of grant have all been made under the Rural Enterprise Scheme and total £232,652. The projects themselves encompass an Environmental Interpretation Centre for use by the general public (located in the ward of Brill) an on-farm bed and breakfast business along the 'Jubilee Way' (also in Brill) to an on-farm fishing lake in the ward of Stewkley and a barn conversion to offices in Buckingham north.
	No grants have been made in the constituency from the Processing and Marketing Grant Scheme and the Vocational Training Scheme.

Greenhouse Gases

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to introduce a system for controlling greenhouse gas emissions similar to the STEK system operating in the Netherlands; and whether she has made an assessment of the cost to public funds of introducing such a system.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 14 October 2004
	Political agreement was reached at the Environment Council on 14 October to a Regulation including a system for controlling fluorinated greenhouse gas emissions in relation to refrigeration, air conditioning and other relevant equipment. A Regulatory Impact assessment of the Commission's original proposals was provided by Defra in November 2003 together with Supplementary Memorandum 12179/03.

Greenhouse Gases

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the level of household greenhouse gas emissions was in the last period for which figures are available, broken down by region.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 21 October 2004
	Regional greenhouse gas emissions in 2002 from fuel combustion in households are given in the table (in million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent). These figures are derived from regional fuels sales data.
	
		Regional greenhouse gas emissions
		
			 Country England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland UK total 
		
		
			 CO2-e (Mt) 72.86 7.10 5.01 3.44 88.41 
		
	
	This information will be published later this year (and available on the National Air Emissions Inventory website, at www.naei.org.uk), in the report Greenhouse Gas Inventories for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: 1990–2002.

Internal Drainage Boards

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many local authorities contain internal drainage boards within their boundaries.

Elliot Morley: There are currently 219 internal drainage boards wholly or partly in England. These are concentrated in areas of special drainage need such as parts of East Anglia, Yorkshire, Somerset and Lincolnshire. IDB boundaries generally follow rivers and their catchments and some will therefore straddle several local authority areas.
	My records indicate that 108 separate local authorities in England pay special levies to IDBs which fall entirely or partly within their boundaries. However, this figure may not incorporate all the relevant local authorities, as there may be some which do not pay such a levy.

Nitrates Directive

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the timetable is for the introduction of the EU Nitrates Directive.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 21 October 2004
	Directive 91/676/EEC (the Nitrates Directive) came into effect on 12 December 1991. The transposition timetable set down in the Directive is as follows:
	December 1993: Establish a code or codes of good agricultural practice.
	December 1993: Designate as Nitrate Vulnerable Zones areas which drain into waters which are or could be polluted, if action is not taken, by nitrates from agricultural sources. There is an obligation to review the designations at least every four years.
	December 1995: Establish Action Programme(s) for Nitrate Vulnerable Zones. There is an obligation to review the Action Programme(s) at least every four years.
	December 1999: Implementation of Action Programme(s)

Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment she has made as to whether the River Thames is compliant with the Urban Waste Water Directive;
	(2)  whether the (a) sewage disposal treatment works, (b) sewage mechanisms and (c) works related to sewage in London are compliant with the Urban Waste Water Directive;
	(3)  what assessment has been made of the capacity of London's sewage treatment works to handle future increases in storm overflow incidence, with particular reference to compliance with the Urban Waste Water Directive;
	(4)  how the Thames is classified for purposes of the Urban Waste Water Directive, broken down by stretch of river.

Elliot Morley: The objective of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive is to protect the environment from the adverse effects of waste water discharges. The Directive includes requirements concerning sewage collection systems, and for sewage treatment works. Standards and deadlines are set according to the size of the population served and the sensitivity of waters receiving the discharges.
	The sewage collection systems serving the urban communities along the Thames are largely combined systems which collect both domestic and industrial waste water, and rainwater run-off. The Directive acknowledges that it is not possible in practice to construct combined collecting systems and treatment plants to deal with all waste water during situations such as unusually heavy rainfall. Consequently the Directive requires the limitation of pollution of receiving waters due to storm water overflows according to best technical knowledge not entailing excessive cost. The systems along the Thames have combined sewer overflows which operate to prevent flooding and sewage treatment works from becoming overloaded during wet weather.
	Most of the freshwater section of the Thames has been identified as a Sensitive Area because of eutrophication. As required by the Directive, communities either side of this stretch of the river have satisfactory sewage collection systems and overflows, and Thames Water have or are to provide more stringent treatment at qualifying (those serving more than 10,000 inhabitants) sewage treatment works which discharge to this area. When completed we consider waste water discharges to this section of the Thames will be compliant with the Directive.
	The tidal section of the Thames is identified as a normal water body. As required by the Directive, London has a collection system, and secondary treatment is provided at the qualifying (those serving more than 15,000 inhabitants) sewage treatment works which discharge to this area.
	As agreed in the last Periodic Review of water company price limits for 2000–05 Thames Water, the Environment Agency, Defra and the Office of Water Services (Ofwat) have been involved in a Strategic Study of the environmental impact of intermittent storm sewage discharges to the Thames Tideway. The remit of the study was to identify objectives for improvement, and to propose potential solutions, having regard to costs and benefits.
	As a result of the study the Final Guidance by the Secretary of State to the Director-General of Ofwat, published on 4 October 2004, and the draft price limits published by Ofwat on 5 August 2004, include provision for further measures to address sewage discharges to the Thames Tideway.
	In the medium term this will result in improvements to the capacity and quality of treated effluent from three sewage treatment works (Beckton, Crossness, and Mogden) which discharge to the Thames Tideway. These improvements are also to include reducing the frequency of intermittent discharges from the storm water storage tanks at Mogden. When completed we consider waste water discharges from these works will be compliant with the Directive.
	In addition a scheme to improve the treated effluent at Riverside sewage treatment works, which is already compliant with the Directive, is identified to improve water quality in the river and protect fish.
	With regard to the Directive requirement to limit pollution of the Thames Tideway due to intermittent storm water overflows, we consider that the issue of compliance needs further investigation. As a result my officials and the Thames Tideway Strategic Study Steering Group are carrying out further consideration of the issues and possible appropriate measures. These include the proposed long-term interceptor tunnel solution, and possible smaller-scale measures.

Rural Payments Agency

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she has taken to ensure that inspection maps used by the Rural Payments Agency correspond with the rural land maps under preparation by the Rural Land Registry.

Alun Michael: Inspection maps have been generated using Rural Land Register data where the applicant has used such data in his or her Area Aid Application in 2004.

Sustainable Food Procurement

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations her Department has received from the Scottish Executive regarding the sustainable food procurement initiative.

Alun Michael: Defra officials keep officials of the Scottish Executive and the other devolved Administrations informed of progress on the Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative and they provide reciprocal information. We are learning from each other's efforts.

TRANSPORT

Speed Cameras

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had on the location of fixed speed cameras; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: My Department will shortly issue the "Handbook of Rules and Guidance for the national safety camera programme for England and Wales 2005–06", revising and updating the previous handbook, including the rules and criteria for the location of speed camera sites. Copies will be placed in the Library. The new handbook has been prepared in consultation with the police, local authorities and other agencies involved in the safety camera programme—including the members of the Motorists Forum and the Department's Road Safety Advisory Panel, which bring together the full range of motoring, road safety and other interest groups.

Speed Cameras

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much revenue his Department received from the four Welsh police forces from speeding fines levied by them in the last year for which figures are available.

David Jamieson: During 2002–03, the last year for which figures are available, the amount of conditional offer fixed penalty fines relating to speed and red light offences detected in Wales under the national safety camera programme, which is overseen by my Department, was £9,873,600. This money is received by magistrates court committees and passed to the Department of Constitutional Affairs. In 2002–03 £7,274,334 was paid to the safety camera partnerships in relation to the installation and operation of safety cameras at approved sites. The remainder of the money accrues, like other fines, to the Consolidated Fund. None of the money is received by my Department.

Speed Cameras

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average revenue received from police forces in England from speeding fines imposed by them was in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: During the financial year 2002–03, the latest year for which figures are available, the amount of conditional offer fixed penalty fines relating to speed and red light safety offences detected in England under the national safety camera programme, which is overseen by my Department, was £56,906,820. Of this amount, £44,608,933 was paid to the safety camera partnerships in relation to the installation and operation of safety cameras at approved sites.

A358

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to make a statement on the Government's plans to upgrade the A358 road in Somerset; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Following the outcome of the recent Spending Review, the Secretary of State is currently reviewing funding allocations across departmental programmes, including road schemes such as those following from the South West Area Multi Modal Study (SWARMMS). The upgrading of the A358 in Somerset is one of two options recommended by that study. The Department aims to make a decision as soon as possible.

Air Navigation Charging

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has consulted the European Regions Airline Association on the proposed reforms to the charging system for airlines for the use of air navigation purposes.

Charlotte Atkins: The Department has set up a Stakeholder Forum specifically to discuss issues arising from European legislation that will impact on airspace users. While the European regions Airline Association has not been directly involved, all UK aviation stakeholders have been encouraged to participate. This Stakeholder Forum has met three times during which the charging issue has been given significant coverage. The Department convened a meeting with stakeholders, on 12 August, specifically to discuss the Single European Sky (SES) proposals for a common charging scheme.
	The European regions Airline Association is a member of the SES Industry Consultation Body formed to provide advice to the European Commission on the implementation of the SES.

Aviation (Emissions)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to increase awareness among the population about the link between the aviation industry, carbon emissions and climate change.

Charlotte Atkins: Both "The Future of Air Transport" and "Future of Transport" White Papers draw attention to aviation's contribution to climate change, and the importance of ensuring that the aviation sector addresses the problem seriously.
	"The Future of Transport" White Paper recognises that we will need to broaden the debate to ensure that transport makes its full contribution to reducing total CO 2 emissions. The review of the climate change programme will, over the next few months, consider how carbon savings can best be delivered from transport and across other sectors. A consultation document on the review of the climate change programme is due to be published in November, which will help raise awareness of these issues.

Driving Test

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce measures to ensure that learner drivers have experience of night-time driving before taking the practical driving test.

David Jamieson: We encourage all learners to experience night-time driving before taking the practical driving test. We support this policy by issuing a copy of the Driver's Record logbook to learners with their provisional licence. This covers all the skills needed to drive safely, including driving in darkness. The record enables learners, their instructors and others who are helping them, to understand what they need to learn and to monitor their progress.
	The Department does not consider that further statutory regulation of new drivers is justified at present. We believe the way forward is to improve the education environment for learners so that they have access to a more consistent and better standard of training.
	The Department's Driving Standards Agency also operates the Pass-Plus scheme for newly qualified drivers. This voluntary post-test training programme includes night-time driving.

Eurocontrol

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what meetings he has held with UK Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association representatives to discuss the effect of proposed Eurocontrol charges on general and light aviation; and if he will make a statement.

Charlotte Atkins: Department for Transport officials have met with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) representatives on several occasions. The Department has set up a Stakeholder Forum specifically to discuss issues arising from European legislation that will impact on airspace users. This Stakeholder Forum has met three times during which the charging issue has been given significant coverage. In addition, the Department convened a meeting with stakeholders, on 12 August, specifically to discuss the Single European Sky proposals for a common charging scheme. Representatives from AOPA have participated in these meetings. The Department has also engaged directly with the general aviation user organisations, including AOPA both in London and in Brussels, to discuss the on-going developments of proposed Single European Sky Implementing Rules and the impact this legislation is likely to have on them.

Hampshire Roads

David Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of (a) motorway and (b) trunk road in Hampshire are classified as being in disrepair.

David Jamieson: holding answer 25 October 2004
	There are no motorways or trunk roads in Hampshire in a state of disrepair. All are currently in a serviceable condition.

Motorways

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which elements of the M6 toll road scheme have incurred public cost, broken down by amount.

David Jamieson: Under the concession agreement with Midland Expressway Ltd. (MEL) the costs and risks of constructing the M6 Toll fell to MEL. Costs involved in promoting the privately financed scheme fell to central Government.
	The total cost to date to the public sector for selecting the private promoter, negotiating the concession agreement and preparing the statutory Orders required is estimated at 15 million.
	Further costs to the public purse have resulted from changes to the concession agreement, such as revised engineering standards, during the preparation of the scheme. The present estimate for such changes is 4.55 million.
	An agreed sum of 18 million has been paid to MEL to cover the cost of widening the M42 and improvements to the local road network.
	Land acquisition/compensation and management costs, currently estimated at between 80 million and 110 million, were initially borne by the public purse are being recovered from the concessionaire.

Navigation Services

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to charge users of global positioning systems in road vehicles for navigation services; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: We have no plans to charge drivers for using in-vehicle navigation services.

Off-road Number Plates

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what penalties are in place to penalise companies which break the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's regulations by producing off-road number plates.

David Jamieson: The penalty for failure to comply with regulations relating to keeping records of the sales of number plates and obtaining prescribed documentation is a fine of up to 1,000, and/or suspension from the register of number plate suppliers scheme for up to five years. These regulations apply to plates that display a registration number and are designed to be fitted to a vehicle or trailer irrespective of whether they are for off-road use.
	The penalty for selling a counterfeit plate is a fine of up to 2,500. A counterfeit plate is one that purports to be a number plate but is not, e.g. one bearing a non-existent registration number.

Road Haulage (Emissions)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the level of carbon emissions from road haulage in each year from 1990 to date.

David Jamieson: The main source of data on carbon emissions from road transport is the NAEI (National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory) produced by NETCEN. Their figures for road haulage are as follows.
	
		UK road transport HGVsemissions of carbon
		
			  Million tonnes carbon 
		
		
			 1990 6.1 
			 1991 5.8 
			 1992 5.9 
			 1993 6.0 
			 1994 6.5 
			 1995 6.7 
			 1996 7.1 
			 1997 7.3 
			 1998 7.4 
			 1999 7.3 
			 2000 7.2 
			 2001 7.5 
			 2002 8.0

Ship Inspections

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 11 October 2004, Official Report, column 6W, on ship inspections, for what reason it is his Department's policy not to comment on details of (a) the number of ships his Department inspects and (b) how many ships have been denied entry, expelled or detained at UK ports.

David Jamieson: We do not provide information about the security performance of individual ships nor provide details on enforcement policy for very good security reasons.

Ship Inspections

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many ships entering UK ports in September failed to meet the International Ship and Port Facility Code; and how many of these ships were (a) denied entry, (b) expelled from port and (c) detained;
	(2)  how many ships were inspected at UK ports in September to assess whether they met International Ship and Port Facility Security Code standards.

David Jamieson: It is not our policy to comment in detail on ships we inspect for security compliance. However, during September, 17 ships were found to be non-compliant with the requirements of the ISPS Code. It was not appropriate to impose formal Control Measures as there were no serious deficiencies and the failings were quickly rectified by the ship's crews.

Strategic Rail Authority

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the daily cost of the operations of the Strategic Rail Authority is (a) in total and (b) excluding subsidies to train operating companies.

Tony McNulty: The Strategic Rail Authority's total annual budget for 200405 is 3,378 million, 1,143 million of which relates to subsidies to train operating companies. So, daily costs are (a) 9 million in total and (b) 6 million excluding subsidies to train operating companies. The authority's 200405 budget for running costs is 89 million, equivalent to 244,000 per day.

Travel-related Accidents

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) fatal and (b) serious travel-related accidents there were in (i) the City of York and (ii) Yorkshire and the Humber in each year since 1992.

David Jamieson: The available information relates to road accidents, and is shown in the table. Providing the information requested for railways would entail disproportionate costs.
	
		Fatal and serious road accidents in the city of York and Yorkshire and the Humber Government Office Region: 1992 to 2003
		
			  City of York Yorkshire and the Humber 
			  Fatal Serious Fatal Serious 
		
		
			 1992 4 110 373 3,858 
			 1993 4 84 351 3,459 
			 1994 2 67 294 3,333 
			 1995 3 69 313 3,396 
			 1996 3 59 292 3,220 
			 1997 7 111 295 3,175 
			 1998 4 70 286 3,001 
			 1999 8 106 285 2,922 
			 2000 12 73 288 2,800 
			 2001 6 108 299 2,858 
			 2002 8 103 294 2,893 
			 2003 8 70 296 2,808

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what impact the possible redeployment of UK troops in Iraq will have on the planned increased deployment of UK troops in Afghanistan.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 25 October 2004
	As I announced to the House on 21 October 2004, Official Report, columns 103551, the redeployment of some of our forces in Iraq is limited in scope, time, and space and does not represent a significant permanent additional commitment of forces. It has no impact upon our plans to increase our military commitment in Afghanistan, which is not due to occur until 2006 when the Headquarters of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps is planned to deploy to lead the International Security Assistance Force.

Black Watch

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department asked (a) Perth and Kinross district council, (b) The Black Watch and (c) other organisations to prepare for a welcome back home parade in Perth in November or December.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 25 October 2004
	A series of parades had been planned during the period 29 November to 4 December 2004 throughout the Regimental area, including Perth, in order to celebrate 1st Battalion The Black Watch return from Iraq. These parades have now been postponed until the return date of the Regiment is confirmed.

Black Watch

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date he first received the request from the United States to redeploy UK troops.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 25 October 2004
	A formal request from the US military in Iraq was made on 10 October 2004 to General Officer Commanding MND(SE), for one UK Battlegroup to deploy in support of coalition operations.

Black Watch

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date he expects the Black Watch to end their tour of duty in Iraq.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 25 October 2004
	The Black Watch will be back in the United Kingdom by Christmas; the precise date cannot be confirmed at this stage for operational reasons.

Black Watch

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions have been given to Black Watch soldiers regarding redeployment in Iraq.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 25 October 2004
	The battle group deploying from MND(SE) consisting predominantly of the 1st Battalion the Black Watch, were issued with an Operational Order on 23 October 2004, the details of which cannot be supplied for reasons of operational security. I am therefore withholding that information under Exemption 1a of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Defence Support Vehicle

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Defence Support Vehicle offered by MAN ERF UK Ltd. will be compatible in joint operations with US forces.

Adam Ingram: The Support Vehicle fleet is required to comply with a wide range of standard NATO interfaces, to ensure that the vehicles are compatible with, and capable of operating alongside, all NATO allies including the USA. The evaluation undertaken by the Defence Procurement Agency has demonstrated that the vehicles proposed by the Support Vehicle Preferred Bidder, MAN ERF UK Ltd., fully satisfy this requirement.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Middle East

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Department is taking to combat hunger and malnutrition in the Middle East.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: World Bank figures show that overall around 15 per cent. of children under the age of five in the Middle East and North Africa show some signs of malnutrition. According to the UN's Human Development Report, around 33 per cent. of Yemen's total population, and 27 per cent. of Iraq's population was undernourished in 2000. Figures for Palestinian refugees are also high.
	In Yemen, the only low-income country in the region, DFID's programme is directed at supporting the Government's Poverty Reduction Strategy, which includes social protection. The European Commission's programme of around 15 million a year has as its main element support for long-term food security. Approximately 17 per cent. of all EC funding (including humanitarian) is attributed to DFID's budget.
	This year, DFID has contributed 12.35 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian refugees, some of which is used for food aid. Since the start of the Intifada in 2000, the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) has provided 118 million of aid to vulnerable Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and elsewhere in the Middle East, assistance that has included food, health care and water and sanitation.
	In Iraq, the Public Distribution System (PDS) for food has provided a basic ration for more than 60 per cent. of the population since 1991. After the end of Saddam's regime in 2003, DFID helped to re-establish the PDS. Evidence from a UNDP survey undertaken in spring 2004 suggests that stunting and chronic malnutrition remain unacceptably high. DFID's assistance through organisations such as WHO and UNICEF is helping to address this problem. In the longer term we are working on economic reform in Iraq, including reform of the PDS, which takes into account the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable sections of society. DFID has also been planning a programme of work on social protection mechanisms to complement work on economic reform, which will benefit poor people.

Sudan

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken to meet humanitarian needs in Sudan.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: Since 1991, DFID has contributed over 200 million of humanitarian assistance to Sudan. The humanitarian support that DFID has provided for Sudan has included food, water, sanitation, primary health care and shelter.
	DFID's Country Engagement Paper for Sudan includes, as one of its key objectives to meet life-saving and life-sustaining humanitarian, recovery and re-integration needs. We match our humanitarian programme to assessed need, recognising that needs are not likely to reduce in the near future. DFID is working with other donors to ensure that Sudan's needs do not go unnoticed or unsupported. We are therefore providing support through non-governmental organisations, and international organisations like UNICEF; and in areas like Red Sea, Unity and Upper Nile states.
	DFID is particularly concerned about the situation in Darfur, where 1.5 million people have been displaced and a further 200,000 have fled to Chad. In response to the crisis in Darfur, we have committed 62.5 million of humanitarian assistance since September 2003.
	In addition, DFID is engaged in ongoing high level and operational dialogue with the Government of Sudan and our humanitarian partners on the crisis in Darfur, to improve security, increase access and maximise the effectiveness of the international humanitarian response. We are also lobbying other donors to contribute more to the crisis in Darfur.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Analogue Switch-off

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions her Department has had with (a) video cassette recorder manufacturers and (b) their industry representatives regarding analogue switch-off.

Estelle Morris: When the analogue signal is switched off, viewers will be able to continue to use their analogue VCRs for recording digital programmes, but will not be able to record one digital channel while watching another.
	We are working with key industry stakeholders, including video cassette recorder (VCR) manufacturers and their representatives, as part of the work of the Digital Television Project, to find ways of enabling viewers to have the full functionality which they enjoy with their VCRs today. Already a number of recording products are available which offer this capability.

Private Finance Initiative

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the private finance initiative arrangements in which the Department is engaged; what the total cost of each arrangement is (a) over its lifetime and (b) in each year of its operation; and how the arrangement appears in the Department's public accounts.

Richard Caborn: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not itself entered into any PFI or PPP contracts. The Royal Parks Agency (RPA), which is an executive agency, has entered into three PFI or PPP contracts.
	1. Inn the Park at St. James Park. This is a contract to provide new catering equipment and facilities at an existing site in return for the right to run a catering concession.
	2. The Boathouse at Regent's Park. Under this contract a new building was supplied by the contractor, and a catering concession was granted to them.
	3. Pembroke Lodge at Richmond. The building was restored by the contractor and a catering concession was granted to them.
	In all of these arrangements there were no costs to the RPA.
	In the Department's public accounts the leasehold of Pembroke Lodge is included within the total for Land and Buildings, at a value of 770,000. The rent which is received under all three arrangements is recorded under income from rents.

Sport Direct

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what services Sport Direct provides in (a) York and (b) Yorkshire.

Richard Caborn: The Department is not aware of a programme called Sport Direct that operates in the York and Yorkshire region.

Sports Councils

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the annual Exchequer grant aid awards to the Great Britain Sports Council were in each year since 1974, separately identifying grants to the governing bodies.

Richard Caborn: The Exchequer grant in aid figures for the Great Britain Sports Council covering the period 197778 to 199697 are shown in the following table.
	
		Great Britain Sports Council
		
			   
		
		
			 197778 11,500,000 
			 197879 15,200,000 
			 197980 15,580,000 
			 198081 19,290,000 
			 198182 21,030,000 
			 198283 28,000,000 
			 198384 27,120,000 
			 198485 28,600,000 
			 198586 30,110,000 
			 198687 37,350,000 
			 198788 37,150,000 
			 198889 38,410,000 
			 198990 41,880,000 
			 199091 44,750,000 
			 199192 46,700,000 
			 199293 48,600,000 
			 199394 50,600,000 
			 199495 48,900,000 
			 199596 49,250,000 
			 199697 28,170,000 
		
	
	The grant-in-aid figures for 197475, 197576 and 197677 and grants to governing bodies since 1974 are not available.

HEALTH

Community Matrons

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what budget his Department has allocated to introducing community matrons in each of the next three years.

Stephen Ladyman: Funding for community matrons is included in the increased investment that has been made in the general allocations to primary care trusts.
	Work has commenced on the next round of allocations covering the period up to 200708, which will also include funding for community matrons.
	It is for the national health service locally to determine the resource to be allocated to community matrons.

Dentistry

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 4 October 2004, Official Report, column 1961W, on dentistry, whether his Department has decided not to update the Dental Workforce Review.

Rosie Winterton: Next year, we will check the assumptions upon which our expansion of the dental workforce are based.

Dentistry

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental practices were offering full NHS dental treatment (a) in 1997 and (b) at the latest date for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: At August 1997, there were 8,643 dental practices providing national health service general dental services including emergency services. In August 2004, there were 9,159 practices providing general dental service including emergency services and personal dental services.

Dermatology (GP Contract)

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to include dermatology in the general practitioner contract when it is next reviewed.

Rosie Winterton: The treatment of skin conditions and associated complaints already forms a large part of general practice. Where more specialist dermatology services are required, primary care trusts are able to commission a local enhanced service to meet local needs.
	Any future changes to the national quality and outcomes framework (QOF) will be subject to negotiations with the British Medical Association, following recommendations from an independent, United Kingdom-wide expert review panel. The independent expert review panel will consider whether any new disease areas should be added to the QOF. They will be able to receive submissions on proposals to make changes to the current quality framework from any interested party.

Eating Disorders (Treatment)

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 11 October 2004, Official Report, column 142W, on eating disorders, on what evidence his statement that waiting times for treatment for eating disorders are sometimes too long is based.

Rosie Winterton: This statement is based on feedback from service users and their carers.

Hampshire Hospitals

David Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospitals in Hampshire are operating with a shortfall in the operational requirement for accident and emergency staff; and how many employees this shortfall amounts to at each hospital.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 25 October 2004
	There are no standard rules to follow to say how many doctors, nurses or other staff should be employed in an accident and emergency department. It is for local hospitals and health economies to decide how to deploy staff in ways that will best meet the needs of the population.

Hospital Construction (Lichfield)

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 16 March 2004, Official Report, column 247W, on Hospital Construction (Lichfield), 
	(1)  when he expects construction work to begin on the new hospital at the St Michael's site in Lichfield; when he expects the new hospital to be completed and opened; and what changes there have been in the car parking and future hospital expansion arrangements for the hospital; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the financial shortfall of the Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth Primary Care Trust.

Stephen Ladyman: Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth Primary Care Trust (PCT) is currently managing a challenging financial position, caused by a number of factors, including the costs of extra clinical activity, the new out of hours service and the new general medical QMS contract. In total these pressures amount to just over 2 million.
	In response to this position, the PCT board and Professional Executive Committee are looking at ways in which they can bring the organisation back into financial balance. Every effort will be made to ensure there is no adverse impact on patient services.
	Despite this position, the PCT is continuing to meet all its service targets and drive forward improvements in patient care. Work on the new community hospital in Lichfield will not be affected in any way.
	I am informed by Shropshire and Staffordshire Strategic Health Authority (SHA) that construction work is anticipated to commence in March 2005, following the demolition of the buildings onsite. The SHA expects the hospital to be completed at the end of 2006; ready to open at the start of 2007. The car parking arrangements have been planned as previously agreed, with 217 spaces. The space for future hospital expansion is provided within the site as agreed in the outline planning permission.
	I am further informed by the SHA that the main reason behind the delay is that the demolition process has been delayed as the local authority now requires listed building consent, which the PCT is applying for. It is not proposing to knock down any listed buildings but understands that this is required as the work will be taking place on the site of a listed building.

Information and Communication Specialists

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Department spent on outside information technology and communication specialist consultants and engineers in the 200304 financial year.

Rosie Winterton: The Department spent 5,890,000 on outside information technology and communication specialist consultants and engineers in the 200304 financial year.

Ministers' Private Offices

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the running costs of Ministers' private offices in his Department have been in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The running costs for Ministers' private offices for the financial years 199798 to 200304 were as follows:
	
		Running costs for Ministers' private offices
		
			  000 
		
		
			 199798 1,849 
			 199899 2,144 
			 199900 2,653 
			 200001 2,947 
			 200102 2,876 
			 200203 2,601 
			 200304 3,041 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. An additional Minister, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health, was appointed during 19992000.
	2. The data is taken from the Department's accounting systems.
	3. The salaries of Ministers themselves are not included.
	4. Costs have also increased as a result of additional Parliamentary activity and legislation, resulting in an increase in correspondence and longer working.

Waiting Times

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his latest estimate is of the average waiting time for (a) in-patients and (b) out-patients in each quarter from the first quarter of 1997 to third quarter of 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The table shows provider based median in-patient and out-patient waiting times for England, by each quarter from March 1997 to June 2004. Information for quarter 2 of 200405 is not yet available.
	
		
			   Median (weeks) 
			 Quarter Year In-patient Out-patient 
		
		
			 Q4 199697 13.2 6.0 
			 Q1 199798 13.4 6.2 
			 Q2 199798 14.2 6.4 
			 Q3 199798 14.5 6.2 
			 Q4 199798 14.8 6.3 
			 Q1 199899 15.2 6.5 
			 Q2 199899 14.1 6.8 
			 Q3 199899 13.1 6.9 
			 Q4 199899 12.8 7.0 
			 Q1 19992000 12.8 7.1 
			 Q2 19992000 12.8 7.3 
			 Q3 19992000 12.8 7.3 
			 Q4 19992000 12.9 7.6 
			 Q1 200001 13.3 7.1 
			 Q2 200001 13.0 7.4 
			 Q3 200001 12.8 7.4 
			 Q4 200001 12.6 7.4 
			 Q1 200102 13.7 6.9 
			 Q2 200102 13.4 7.2 
			 Q3 200102 12.7 7.3 
			 Q4 200102 12.7 7.6 
			 Q1 200203 13.2 7.0 
			 Q2 200203 12.8 7.2 
			 Q3 200203 12.5 7.2 
			 Q4 200203 11.9 7.3 
			 Q1 200304 12.1 6.9 
			 Q2 200304 11.7 7.0 
			 Q3 200304 11.2 7.0 
			 Q4 200304 10.2 7.1 
			 Q1 200405 9.5 6.8 
		
	
	Sources:
	Department of Health in-patient dataKH07 and out-patient dataQM08.

SCOTLAND

Civil Service Appointments

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the percentage of (a) females and (b) males was among (i) initial applicants and (ii) successful candidates in each of the promotion and recruitment exercises for posts in the senior civil service and in Band C (formerly Grade 7) in the Scotland Office and the Scottish Office since 1 January 1994.

Anne McGuire: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999.
	There has been no direct recruitment to the Scotland Office and most staff have been assigned on loan from the Scottish Executive. Since 1999, three promotion exercises have been commissioned, in conjunction with the Executive, to fill band C (formerly Grade 7) posts in the Scotland Office. Details of the gender split by initial and successful candidates is as follows:
	
		
			  Applications Successful candidates 
			  Male Female Male Female 
		
		
			 1999 4  3  
			 2000 2 1 1  
			 2002  2  1 
		
	
	There have been no recruitment or promotion exercises to fill senior civil service posts in the Office. All SCS posts have been filled by staff assigned on loan or secondment.
	Information on promotion and recruitment of staff in the former Scottish Office prior to 1999 is not held.

Scotland Act 1998 (Modifications of Schedule 5) Order

Tom Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland why no regulatory impact assessment has been prepared for the draft Scotland Act 1998 (Modifications of Schedule 5) Order 2004, laid before the House on 9 September.

Anne McGuire: The decision not to provide a Regulatory Impact Assessment is in accordance with the guidance Better Policy Making: A Guide to Regulatory Impact Assessment issued by the Cabinet Office. The draft Order varies the competence of the Scottish Parliament. The draft Order does not in itself have a direct or indirect impact (whether benefit or cost) on business, charities or the voluntary sector. It would not therefore have any regulatory impact.

Scottish Passenger Rail Franchise

Tom Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether primary legislation will be required to devolve responsibilities in connection with the Scottish Passenger Rail Franchise to Ministers of the Scottish Executive.

Anne McGuire: The Government set out its proposals for the devolution of rail services in Scotland in the white paper, The Future of Rail, in July 2004. The Government will introduce a Railways Bill when parliamentary time allows to provide for those measures that require primary legislation.

Transport Bodies

Tom Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultation there has been with Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority and Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive in connection with the draft statutory instrument, The Scotland Act 1998 (Modifications of Schedule 5) Order 2004, laid before the House on 9 September, insofar as it relates to the ability of Scottish Ministers to transfer the powers of those bodies, in relation to the provision and regulation of railways, to themselves.

Anne McGuire: The proposal to transfer the rail powers of the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority and Executive (SPTA/E) was set out in the Scottish Executive's transport white paper, Scotland's Transport Future, published in June 2004. As this is a reserved matter, this had been agreed in principle with the Department for Transport beforehand. I understand that there have been a number of meetings between the Scottish Executive and SPTA and SPTE both before and after the publication of this paper at which this proposal was discussed.
	If agreed, the draft Order laid before the House on 9 September (and which is also being considered by the Scottish Parliament) will extend the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament, not the Scottish Ministers. It will then be for the Scottish Parliament to decide, should such measures be put before it, whether or not to transfer the powers of the SPTA/E to the Scottish Ministers.

Tsar Appointments

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many tsars have been appointed with responsibilities which cover part of the work of his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: The Scotland Office has not appointed any tsars.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Carbon Savings

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the cost effectiveness in terms of carbon savings, using Treasury Green Book Guidance for public sector investment, of the (a) Clear Skies Programme, (b) Community Energy Programme, (c) Innovation Programme, (d) Major PV Demonstration Programme and (e) the Scottish Communities and Householder Renewables Initiative.

Mike O'Brien: The DTI's Clear Skies Programme, Technology Programme and Major PV Demonstration Programme, do not include a target for carbon savings in their objectives.
	The main objectives of the DTI's (a) Clear Skies programme are to raise public awareness and support for renewable energy through the installation of household and community scale schemes, as well as making a contribution to carbon savings in the UK.
	The programme is subject to annual audits, which monitor the programme against Key Performance Indicators including the number of household and community installations delivered and the growth in the installer base. In addition, on completion of the scheme, a full evaluation is planned which will consider the full impact, including carbon savings and cost effectiveness. This data is not currently available.
	To date the programme has committed some 4.3 million to community applications (nearly 230) and some 2.5 million (over 4,200 grants) to household applications.
	DEFRA's (b) Community Energy Programme aims to stimulate carbon savings of 0.08 MtC per annum by 2010. The assessment criteria include: social benefitscost savings for households over the life of the scheme; economic benefitscost savings for the public sector and public service organisations (other than public sector housing) over the life of the scheme as well as environmental benefitsreductions in carbon emissions over the life of the scheme. It is estimated that the cost effectiveness of lifetime carbon savings (/tC) for 200304 from this programme is 89.
	The DTI's (c) Technology Programme supports research, development and innovation and includes new and renewable energy sources (e.g. fuel cells, wind, wave and tidal power, photovoltaics, and energy crops). The annual budget for renewable energy is some 18 million per annum. Collaborative research and development projects encompass a range of risk from high to low levels of innovation, it is therefore difficult to estimate the potential contribution of these project to carbon saving in the future. One of the criteria for selection is the environmental and social impacts of undertaking the project and how significant are they related to the economic benefits. The newly appointed Technology Strategy Board will in future be responsible for monitoring progress and performance against the Technology Strategy, assessing the effectiveness of the technology priorities and intervention methods used on an appropriate timescale, in order to inform future development of the strategy. The programme will be evaluated in due course.
	The main objectives of DTI's (d) Major PV Demonstration Programme are to raise awareness of PV in the UK, generate investment in the PV industry, assure quality installations of PV, generate growth and competition, reduce product/install costs over time, establish a sustainable PV market in the UK, as well as making a contribution to carbon savings in the UK. The programme target is 1,000 domestic/individual systems and at least 140 medium and large-scale non-domestic systems by end of the programme. To date the programme has committed some 14.2 million to large-scale projects (134) and some 4.7 million (700) to small-scale projects. It is planned to evaluate the programme in its third year.
	The (e) Scottish Communities and Householder Renewables Initiative is the responsibility of the Scottish Executive.

Combined Heat and Power

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the projection is for good quality combined heat and power capacity in each year from 2005 to 2009.

Mike O'Brien: The latest projections for CHP capacity were undertaken by Cambridge Econometrics and published in November 2003. These projections, based on policies in place at the time, were 6.4GW in 2005 and 8.1GW in 2010. The figures do not include the impact of the introduction of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme which could add 0.4GW to the 2010 figure, giving a projection of 8.5GW for that year. No estimates were made for the intervening years.
	The report can be found at http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/environment/energy efficiency/chpreport.pdf

Consumers (Definition)

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what definition her Department uses of the term consumer; and whether it includes (a) businesses and (b) public sector organisations.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The specific definition of a consumer will depend on the market being discussed. In general all recipients/users of the particular good or service for the market under consideration will be included in the definition.

Electricity (Rural Supplies)

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make it her policy to instruct Ofgem to give a high priority to investment by electricity distribution companies to secure supplies to rural areas in the current price renewal process.

Mike O'Brien: The distribution price control review, which will produce a revised price control effective from April 2005, is a matter between the independent regulator and the distribution companies. Among its statutory duties under section 3 of the Electricity Act 1989, as substituted by section 13 of the Utilities Act 2000, the regulator shall have regard to the interests of rural communities.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to revise the anti-corruption procedures brought into force by the Export Credits Guarantee Department on 1 May; and if she will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 25 October 2004
	While maintaining its commitment to conform to OECD best practice, ECGD is continuing discussions with customers and representative trade associations with a view to resolving issues surrounding the details and practical application of aspects of its existing bribery and corruption procedures.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on how many occasions the Export Credits Guarantee Department has made interim arrangements for customers regarding its new anti-corruption procedures since May.

Douglas Alexander: ECGD's interim arrangements incorporated elements of its previous anti-bribery and corruption procedures that were, themselves, robust. The interim arrangements were consistent with international best practice as defined by the OECD Export Credits Group.
	ECGD has applied interim arrangements on four occasions

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which organisations Export Credits Guarantee Department staff have met since January to discuss the anti-corruption procedures brought into force by the ECGD on 1 May; and on how many occasions.

Douglas Alexander: Officials from ECGD have met with customers and their representative trade associations, including the Society of British Aerospace Companies, the British Exporters Association, the British Bankers Association and the Confederation of British Industry eight times to discuss these procedures.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which organisations (a) she, (b) her Ministers and (c) her Department's staff have met since January to discuss the anti-corruption procedures brought into force by the Export Credits Guarantee Department on 1 May; and on how many occasions meetings have been held in each case.

Douglas Alexander: The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, other Ministers and officials from both ECGD and DTI meet regularly with UK exporters and their trade bodies. This matter has been discussed on a number of occasions when ECGD's customers and their trade bodies including the Society of British Aerospace Companies, the British Exporters Association, the British Bankers Association and the Confederation of British Industry, have been present.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list (a) the companies and (b) the countries for which the Export Credits Guarantee Department has approved interim arrangements in relation to its anti-corruption procedures since May.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 25 October 2004
	ECGD's interim arrangements incorporated elements of its previous anti-bribery and corruption procedures that were, themselves, robust. The interim arrangements were consistent with international best practice as defined by the OECD Export Credits Group.
	Since May, ECGD approved interim arrangements in respect of three transactions for the supply of Airbus aircraft to buyers in China, El Salvador and the Netherlands. Details of one further transaction cannot be disclosed in accordance with ECGD's normal policy on disclosure in relation to support provided by way of insurance rather than guarantees. Public disclosure could increase the probability of default and thus the chance of a claim.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which organisations have made representations to her Department, regarding the anti-corruption procedures brought into force by the Export Credits Guarantee Department on 1 May; and if she will place these representations in the Library.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 25 October 2004
	The following organisations representing many of ECGD's customers have written with respect to the ECGD bribery and corruption procedures: the Society of British Aerospace Companies, the British Exporters Association, the British Bankers Association, the Confederation of British Industry and the British Consultants and Construction Bureau. Copies of these letters will be placed in the Library.
	Informal representations were also made by a number of non-governmental organisations.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the effectiveness of the anti-corruption procedures brought in by the Export Credits Guarantee Department on 1 May.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 25 October 2004
	ECGD's procedures to combat bribery and corruption are consistent with international best practice as defined by the OECD Export Credits Group.

Gas Transmissions (Norway)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the interconnector to allow gas transmissions from Norway will be (a) fully constructed and (b) operational.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 25 October 2004
	The Norwegian operators for the Langeled pipeline aim to complete construction of the southern section of the pipeline, to link the Sleipner platform on the Norwegian Continental Shelf to Easington in Yorkshire, early in summer 2006. They expect to complete commissioning of the pipeline during summer 2006, ready for operational use by 1 October 2006.

Gas/Electricity Supplies

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the projection for electricity plant margin is for the forthcoming winter; what assessment has been made of the contribution mothballed plant could make to the system; and what estimate she has made of the time which would be required to return mothballed plant to the system.

Mike O'Brien: National Grid Transco, in their Winter Outlook Report 200405, report that the plant margin for the forthcoming winter is 20.2 per cent. A total of 3.6 GW of plant is currently mothballed of which, 1.2 GW would be readily able to return this winter, increasing the margin to 22.4 per cent. For the remaining 2.4 GW, NGT considers 0.8 GW would be unlikely to return for this winter. The other 1.6 GW is considered to be unavailable for this winter.

Hydrogen Power

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much funding the Government has given to research and development projects into hydrogen power in the last year; and how much it is planning to give in each of the next five years.

Mike O'Brien: The Department for Trade and Industry does not currently have a specific programme to support industrial collaborative research and development on hydrogen power, but it is likely that hydrogen energy will be one of the areas covered in one or more future calls for proposals under the Technology Programme. Basic university research is supported by the Research Councils, particularly the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Under the EPSRC's Supergen Programme (which supports research on sustainable power generation and supply) a UK Sustainable Hydrogen Energy Consortium (UKSHEC) has been established. This is a four year, 3.5 million initiative involving six universities and other organisations including the Policy Studies Institute. It is targeting multi-disciplinary research on the production, distribution and utilisation of hydrogen including socio-economics aspects of the hydrogen economy.
	The Department has also commissioned a study to develop a Strategic Framework for Hydrogen Energy Activities in the UK, which is due to report in mid-November.

Innovation and Growth Teams

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which sectors her Department's innovation and growth teams cover.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 21 October 2004
	DTI's Innovation and Growth Teams cover the following sectors: Automotive; Software and Digital Content related services; Chemicals; Environmental Goods and Services; Aerospace; Bioscience; and Electronics.

Manufacturing

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list her Department's funding given to each manufacturer in the (a) automotive sector and (b) manufacturing sector since 1997; and what the purpose was in each case.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 21 October 2004
	This information is not held centrally to this level of detail and can only be compiled at disproportionate cost.
	In summary, some 950 million of assistance was offered in England in support of 198,000 jobs between 1997 and 2004. This included some 3,611 RSA grants of which 130 were in the automotive sector.
	258 RSA grants worth 150 million were offered in 20034, expected to secure 1.2 billion investment, safeguard 14,000 jobs and create 13,000 new jobs. Of these, 11 grants worth a total of 10 million were to the automotive manufacturing sector, expected to secure 81 million of investment and create/safeguard over 2000 jobs.

National Minimum Wage

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how many (a) anonymous, (b) named and (c) third party complaints of alleged non-compliance with the national minimum wage were received by the Inland Revenue enforcement agency in each financial year since 1999, including the current financial year to date; how many of the employers complained against in each financial year were found to be not complying with the national minimum wage; and what level of underpayment was identified in relation to the complaints in each financial year;
	(2)  how many investigations of employers suspected of non-compliance with the national minimum wage were conducted by the Inland Revenue enforcement agency on the basis of its analysis of tax credit and other data, in each financial year since 1999; how many of the employers investigated were found to be not complying with the national minimum wage; and what the level of underpayment of the national minimum wage identified in relation to such investigations was in each financial year.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	Since the introduction of the minimum wage on 1 April 1999, the number of worker (named) complaints and third party complaints were as detailed in the table. It would be disproportionately expensive to establish details of the number of anonymous complaints for these years. The figures provided in the following table will include some cases where the complainant has asked to remain anonymous.
	
		
			  Worker (named) complaints Third party complaints 
		
		
			 19992000 3,844 838 
			 200001 1,823 542 
			 200102 1,353 369 
			 200203 1,500 498 
			 200304 1,440 529 
			 200405 (to 22 October 2004) 736 253 
		
	
	The number of investigations undertaken on the basis of tax credit and other data (excluding named and third party complaints) were as detailed follows.
	
		
			  Tax credit Other official sources Risk assessed 
		
		
			 19992000 0 0 4,231 
			 200001 3,271 0 1,787 
			 200102 2,461 381 669 
			 200203 3,230 322 961 
			 200304 2,839 231 313 
			 200405 (to 22 October 2004) 1,840 97 235 
		
	
	Inland Revenue statistics related to numbers of employers found not to be complying with the minimum wage include results from investigations that arose from worker (named) or third party complaints as well as those arising from tax credit and other sources. For this reason we are unable to provide the details requested without incurring a disproportionate cost. Figures are provided in the table which show the percentage of all employers investigated who were found not to be complying and the level of underpayment for that year.
	
		
			  Percentage non-compliance Arrears identified () 
		
		
			 19992000 20 1,242,341 
			 200001 30 3,035,373 
			 200102 36 5,135,799 
			 200203 32 3,585,941 
			 200304 40 2,558,096 
			 200405 (to 22 October 2004) 34 2,326,177

Offshore Industry

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department is taking to support UK firms involved in fabrication projects in the offshore oil and gas industry.

Mike O'Brien: DTI's Energy Group is charged with improving the performance of the supply chains in the UK which serve this sectorincluding Offshore Fabrication. Energy Group works in the main with intermediaries such as regional development agencies and other partner organisations to promote joint initiatives which address aspects of competitiveness. Thus emphasis is placed on the development of skills and technology and the adoption of progressive business practices while support is given for the seeking of opportunities in diversification. Jointly with UK Trade and Investment Energy Group works with individual companies and sectoral organisations to maximise export opportunities.

Post Office

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment has been made of the compliance of PIN pads in post offices with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The compliance of pin pads with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 is a matter for the Post Office Ltd. I understand that in order to address the concerns of those customers who find it difficult to use PIN pads, Post Office Ltd. consulted with the Disability Rights Commission and other representative groups regarding adjustments to make its services as accessible to as many people as possible. As a result a number of modifications have been made to the PIN pads located in post office branches, including the fitting of a plastic cover or key guide over the unused keys at the top of the PIN pad; fixing a tactile marker or dot on the central number 5 key; tactile markers that conform to international cash machine standards for the ENTER, CLEAR and CANCEL keys; and louder and different key tones for the function keys.

Post Office

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the implications for the provision of post offices in market towns of the imminent closure of the Evesham post office, situated in a supermarket.

Gerry Sutcliffe: None. Decisions on post office closures and relocations are operational issues for Post Office Ltd. I understand that the Evesham post office is currently operated by the Co-op, and is located within the Co-op store in the Riverside Shopping Centre. On 13 October the Co-op gave Post Office Ltd. six months notice of its intention to close the Evesham store and are now actively engaged with Post Office Ltd. in locating an alternative site to maintain post office provision in the area.

Post Office

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the 5.4 million in respect of improvement investment grants paid to Post Office Ltd. has been spent in Scotland.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The 5,448,897 paid to date by the DTI to Post Office Ltd. for investment grant funding as part of the urban reinvention programme includes an element of pre-funding to the company to facilitate prompt payments to sub-postmasters. I understand from Post Office Ltd. that to the end of September 2004, 1453 investment grant applications, including 104 from Scotland, had been approved with 9.4 million committed (538k in Scotland). Of these applications, 638 grants, totalling 3.6 million had been paid in full, including payments of 195k (5.4 per cent.) to sub-postmasters in Scotland.

Post Office

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the 115 million in respect of compensation payments paid to Post Office Ltd. has been expended in Scotland.

Gerry Sutcliffe: As at October 2004, compensation payments for sub-postmasters whose post offices are closed under the terms of the urban reinvention programme, total 122,449,842.23. Post Office Ltd. has applied 6,381,779.82 (5.2 per cent. in respect of post offices in Scotland.

Post Office

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment has been made of the implications of using neighbourhood renewal areas in inner cities as part of the criteria for determining the definition of deprived areas used in the Post Office reinvention programme.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Implementation of the urban post office network reinvention programme is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to respond direct to my hon. Friend.

Product Labelling

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what requirements there are for mandatory labelling of products for business to business sales, to ensure that the customer is receiving the (a) quantity and (b) quality of the product as advertised.

Gerry Sutcliffe: There are a diverse range of requirements for mandatory labelling of products. These address among other issues information on safety, health and environmental questions, and quantity of the product, composition of certain non-food products, and production standards of certain food products. Details of the full range of requirements are not held by my Department and could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.
	The quantity and quality of products supplied in business-to-business sales is usually a contractual matter between those parties.

Regional Selective Assistance

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the number of jobs (a) created and (b) safeguarded by regional selective assistance grants in (i) the North East and (ii) Tyne and Wear in the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: In the last five years to 31 March 2004, offers of Regional Selective Assistance in the North East are expected to create 15,430 new jobs and safeguard 12,743. The estimated figures for Tyne and Wear are 7,891 and 7,287 respectively.

Telephone Marketing

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps (a) she and (b) Ofcom is taking to protect people from silent telephone calls by commercial power diallers; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) My Department introduced the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) scheme, under the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 1999, which provides protection to subscribers from unsolicited silent calls that are made by commercial power diallers. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has responsibility for the enforcement of the TPS scheme and considers breaches.
	(b) The Office of Communications (Ofcom) can take action against persons who persistently misuse networks or services in a way that causes unnecessary annoyance, inconvenience or anxiety, but which falls short of a criminal offence, and Ofcom took action against two companies on 30 April 2004, which were found to have generated unacceptably high levels of unsolicited silent calls.

Telephone Marketing

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what legislation is in place to protect (a) directory and (b) ex-directory private telephone owners from (i) domestic and (ii) international automated computer dialled telesales phone calls; and what her assessment is of the effectiveness of this legislation.

Mike O'Brien: The Government introduced the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations in 1999, which provides a scheme called the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) scheme. This protects subscribers from unsolicited direct marketing calls, which originate from the UK or are made from abroad on behalf of UK companies, irrespective of whether they are dialled manually or made by an automated computer. The TPS scheme does not differentiate between directory and ex-directory subscribers and provides the same level of protection to all registered subscribers. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has responsibility for the enforcement of the TPS scheme and considers breaches.
	The feedback from subscribers is positive in respect of preventing unsolicited direct marketing calls.

Wind Turbines

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 14 September, Official Report, column 1541W, on wind energy, what part of the energy used in wind farm manufacture gives rise to carbon dioxide; and in what amounts.

Mike O'Brien: Most aspects of the manufacture and installation of a wind turbine gives rise to carbon dioxide, which is the same for any other forms of energy production.
	There are no definitive studies which show this figure across wind farm manufacture, however, the British Cement Association, calculated the amount of carbon dioxide produced in a single foundation of a 2.5MW wind turbine.
	Approximately 46 tonnes of carbon dioxide is produced for each turbine, but when this is compared with the annual savings of carbon dioxide, the pay back time is three days.

Wind Turbines

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what grants and assistance are available for the (a) capital installation and (b) operating of wind turbines; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The Government's main instrument for supporting the establishment of wind farms is the Renewables Obligation. The Obligation is a market based support mechanism that requires licensed electricity suppliers to provide a specified proportion of their electricity from renewable sources. This provides an assured market for renewable electricity and attracts a premium.
	To date, the Government have committed 117 million in grant support towards the capital installation of early offshore windfarm development. No direct grant support is provided for onshore windfarm development except for some small household or community installations under the Clear Skies scheme.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Bangladesh

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the backlog is in dealing with entry clearance cases from Dhaka.

Chris Mullin: Our High Commission in Dhaka is currently processing non-settlement visa applications that do not require interview within 48 hours. The waiting time for non-settlement applications requiring interview is currently one month with the exception of applications under the Sector Based Scheme (SBS) which are currently taking five months. The SBS allows UK employers in the food processing and hospitality sectors the opportunity to apply for work permits for foreign nationals. Settlement applications requiring interview are also currently taking approximately five months to process.
	There are a number of reasons for these delays. So far this year there has been a 31 per cent. rise in visa applications in all categories compared with 2003. Much of this relates to the SBS. Our High Commission in Dhaka received over 8,000 SBS applications this year. As a result of the high number of refusals in this category (64 per cent.), our High Commission have also seen an increase of 129 per cent. this year on the number of appeals they handled in 2003.
	UKvisas are considering providing reinforcements for the visa section in Dhaka with the aim of ensuring a swift return to normal standards of service.

Belarus

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the recent elections and referendum in Belarus; what representations he has made to the Belarus Government concerning the elections and referendum, with particular reference to poll rigging and intimidation of voters; when and in what forum he will next raise the situation in Belarus with the UK and European partners; and what recommendations for future action he will make to them;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the constitutional referendum in Belarus that will allow the President to seek unlimited terms in office.

Denis MacShane: I refer the hon. Member to the declaration on the conduct of the election and referendum in Belarus issued by the EU on 20 October. We fully support this declaration. We are deeply concerned about the issues raised in the preliminary findings and conclusions of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe's (OSCE) Election Observation Mission. Working Groups in Brussels have begun to explore options for action. We will press for a clear response to the conduct of the election and referendum.
	The full text of the EU declaration is available on the Presidency's website at: http://www.eu2004.nl/default. asp?CMS ITEM=6E8D65E8E7E145F5A45D9B9BCl 8C40EBX1X53350X89

Belarus

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps Her Majesty's Government is taking to encourage Belarus to (a) work towards becoming a democracy, (b) ensure that the electoral process is not subject to Government interference and (c) ensure that the opposition is not subject to intimidation and violence.

Denis MacShane: The Government, together with our EU partners, regularly raises our concerns about democracy and the need for free and fair elections in Belarus with the Belarusian Government, bilaterally through our embassies in Minsk, in multilateral fora including the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Permanent Council in Vienna, and through public declarations. Several statements were issued through the EU and OSCE in the lead up to the 17 October elections. The UK contributed three Long Term Observers, 30 Short Term Observers and the Deputy Head of Mission to the OSCE's International Election Observation Mission (IEOM). We fully support the EU declaration of 20 October condemning the conduct of the 17 October parliamentary elections and the violent actions taken by the Belarusian authorities against the opposition. We will now press Belarus to implement the recommendations in the OSCE/IEOM's final election report, which will be published shortly. We will also look to bolster our support for civil society and to continue deepening our links with NGOs and opposition parties.

Botswana

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what representations he has made to the Government of Botswana regarding the Kalahari Basarwa Bushmen;
	(2)  what representations he has received regarding the Kalahari Basarwa Bushmen; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: I discussed the issue of the Basarwa with President Mogae last December when we met at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Abuja. The hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Jones) discussed the Basarwa with me on 26 February.
	Through the High Commission in Gaborone we remain in contact with interested members of civil society as well as with the Government of Botswana over the situation of the Kalahari Basarwa.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter to him dated 14 September from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. Sundus Salman.

Chris Mullin: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary replied on 4 October.

Cyprus

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government deemed the paper published by the Republic of Cyprus on 15 March 2004 to contain acceptable proposals for security in Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: There were many proposals from both sides on security issues in the lead up to the final stage of negotiations. The British Government supports the UN's judgment that the final version of the comprehensive settlement plan was a carefully balanced compromise.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the developments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since January; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: The peace process remains fragile and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to face considerable political and economic challenges. The Transitional Government in the DRC is gradually extending its authority, and the country is making some progress towards elections, scheduled to be held in June 2005.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the alleged involvement of other African countries in the civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1998 to 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: The involvement of several African countries during the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) between 1998 and 2003 is well documented. Troops from Angola, Burundi, Chad, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda and Zimbabwe were present in the DRC during this period.
	All these countries had withdrawn their troops by June 2003.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the International Rescue Committee's mortality study on the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, published on 8 April; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: This report highlighted the terrible human cost of the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). We welcomed its recommendations, which were in line with Government efforts to work with the UN and South Africa to install the Congolese Transitional Government in Kinshasa and for all foreign troops to withdraw as agreed in the Lusaka Peace Accord.
	The UK continues to play its part in the international effort to bring long-term peace to the DRC.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to help resolve the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: We remain in close contact with regional and international partners on how best to support the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The British ambassador in DRC is a member of the international committee, established as part of the peace agreement, to support the transition process.
	The UK supported UN Security Council Resolution 1565, which authorised the deployment of a further 5,900 military personnel to the UN Mission (MONUC), and, we believe, will help improve MONUC's effectiveness, particularly in Eastern DRC. We also support the International Conference on the Great Lakes and the establishment of a Joint Verification Mechanism for the Rwanda/DRC border.

Egypt

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the authorities in Egypt since the explosions in Taba and Nuweiba.

Bill Rammell: Immediately after the event my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary condemned the attacks in Taba and Nuweiba and expressed his condolences to the Egyptian Government. A member of the embassy's staff was at the scene of the bomb in Taba within an hour of the attack, and the embassy crisis response team arrived on site early the following morning to offer assistance to British nationals.
	The embassy have been in constant touch with the Egyptian authorities since the attacks. Our ambassador has met with all those Ministers responsible for handling the search and rescue effort and investigating the attack. We have offered our co-operation and maintained a close dialogue with the Egyptian authorities.

Eritrea

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of evangelical and pentecostal churches which have been closed down in Eritrea since 21 May 2002.

Chris Mullin: Under legislation introduced in May 2002, members of small religious groups cannot meet in their churches unless they have completed a registration process. To date, none have completed this process but the Government are in discussions with some groups (including the evangelical and pentecostal churches) and has not taken any official action against them. However, we remain concerned at reports of the arrest and detention of individuals as a result of their religious beliefs and will continue to raise our concerns at every suitable opportunity.

FCO Arabic Speakers

Robert Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many fully trained Arabic speakers work for the Foreign Office.

Douglas Alexander: 108 officers have a current Foreign and Commonwealth Office qualification in Arabic. A number of other officers will take examinations in the next year.

Former Soviet Republics

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place with the Governments of (a) Kyrgyzstan, (b) Tajikistan, (c) Uzbekistan and (d) Turkmenistan on illegal trade of radioactive materials produced by the former Soviet Union.

Denis MacShane: There have been no recent discussions with the Governments of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan or Turkmenistan on illegal trade of radioactive materials produced by the former Soviet Union. However, the Government has pledged up to $750 million over 10 years from 2002 to the Global Partnership against the spread of weapons and materials of mass destruction, which aims to secure and make safe the legacy of the former Soviet Union's weapons programme.

Iraq

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contingency preparations have been made by the coalition to provide for refugees that may flee an operation to bring Fallujah back under Iraqi Government control; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 25 October 2004
	In the case of any military operations in Fallujah this would be a matter for the Iraqi Interim Government (KG) and the Multi-National Force (MNF). The MNF seeks at all times to minimise the impact of any military action on civilians. MNF operations always take into account the likely humanitarian consequences of military operations. In undertaking military operations the MNF and Iraq Security Forces aim to return areas of Iraq to IIG control, providing a normal life to Iraqi civilians, thus creating better conditions for rapid progress on reconstruction and humanitarian efforts.

Iraq

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) representations he has made to and (b) assurances he has received from the United States that, should they mount an operation to bring Fallujah under Iraqi Government control, there are plans in place to fulfil the Coalition's obligations to civilians affected by the operation under Article 16 of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in time of war; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 25 October 2004
	The UK and US are no longer occupying powers and therefore the 4th Geneva Convention does not apply. Nonetheless, the Multi-National Force (MNF) seeks at all times to minimise the impact of any military action on innocent civilians and, of course, to avoid civilian casualties. The bulk of their duty involves protecting civilians. In undertaking military operations the MNF and Iraq Security Forces aim to return areas of Iraq to Iraqi Interim Government control, providing a normal life to Iraqi civilians, thus creating better conditions for rapid progress on reconstruction and humanitarian efforts.

Iraq

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, in 2002, (a) a Minister in the Foreign Office and (b) an ambassador indicated to the United States Administration that the UK Government backed regime change in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 25 October 2004
	In 2002, there were numerous discussions and exchanges on Iraq between the US Administration and UK officials, including Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers and ambassadors. The basis of our argument throughout that period was that we had to go back to the UN and we had to enforce Iraq's compliance with UN resolutions. We accepted that that might entail regime change, although that was not our objective. We went back to the Security Council in November 2002 to get a further resolution, UNSCR 1441, which authorised the use of force for this purpose. As a result of Saddam Hussein's persistent and continuing failure to comply with Iraq's UN obligations (which, as the recent Iraq Survey Group report confirms, continued right up until the launch of military action), the Government concluded in March 2003 that it was necessary to use force to remove Saddam Hussein from power in order to secure Iraqi compliance.

Latvia

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the ease of access for a British citizen on holiday in Latvia to the Latvian judicial system if he or she should be a victim of crime.

Chris Mullin: Legislation provides all victims of crime with the same level of judicial protection in Latvia. Generally, Latvian law prescribes that any crime should be investigated fully. Our Consular staff maintain close contact with the Latvian authorities and are informed when a British citizen becomes a victim of crime. Our staff provide a range of consular assistance to ensure the needs of the victim are met and any welfare issues addressed.
	In addition, the British embassy in Latvia is able to make inquiries on behalf of British citizens if they feel they are not getting the correct information from police or other authorities. However, our experience to date is the police accept complaints immediately and act where necessary.

Overseas Students

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many overseas students who have applied to study at universities in the UK have yet to be granted a visa to enter the country.

Chris Mullin: UKvisas maintains a record of the number of student applications and refusals for each financial year. This is not broken down into categories of application, so there is no way of determining how many prospective university students have yet to be granted a visa to enter the country.

Overseas Students

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the British High Commissioner in Bangladesh concerning the amount of funding a student is required to have before a visa is granted to study in the United Kingdom; and what review of this requirement is planned.

Chris Mullin: There is no set amount of money that overseas students need to show that they have available in order to gain entry clearance to the UK. The Immigration Rules state that applicants must be able to show that they have sufficient funds to pay for their course and support themselves and any accompanying dependants without working or recourse to public funds. While there is provision for students to take employment during vacations or spare time, no account may be taken of any prospective earnings from that employment in assessing the ability of a student to meet the maintenance requirement.
	The British Council has provided our High Commission in Dhaka with estimations for student living costs in the UK. They estimated costs (excluding fees) for 200203 to be 768 per calendar month (6,912 for the academic year, which is a nine-month period) for a course in London and 600 per calendar month (5,400 for the academic year) for a course outside London.
	Offer letters from educational establishments often contain an estimated cost for living expenses and the ECO can also use these figures as a guide.

Overseas Students

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on changes in the number of people arriving from outside the UK on student visas between 2002 and 2003.

Chris Mullin: During the financial year 200203 there was a total of 128,144 student visas issued world-wide. The equivalent figure for the financial year 200304 has not yet been finalised, but is estimated to be around 146,000, an increase of about 14 per cent.

Pakistan

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Pakistani authorities regarding their recent testing of a medium-range nuclear-capable missile.

Denis MacShane: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Moray (Angus Robertson) on 21 October 2004, Official Report, columns 90001W.

Sudan

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the levels of sexual violence in the Darfur region of Sudan.

Chris Mullin: We remain extremely concerned about sexual violence in Darfur. Displaced people remain vulnerable to attack and the numbers of officially reported rape cases may belie the true scale of abuse.
	The UK has repeatedly made clear to the Government of Sudan that they must act now to improve the security situation, to protect civilians from such atrocities and to ensure that those guilty of crimes are brought to justice. We are supporting the expanded AU mission and are providing support to the UN and other agencies, such as the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and International Committee of the Red Cross, to enhance civilian protection.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Sudanese Liberation Army and (b) the Justice and Equality Movement in Darfur.

Chris Mullin: Officials from the British embassy in Khartoum and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are in regular contact with the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army and the Justice and Equality Movement, both at the peace talks in Abuja and Addis Ababa, and in Sudan. On 13 October, I met the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army leadership.

Turkey

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received regarding negotiations for Turkish accession to the EU; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: Turkey's EU candidacy is a frequent subject of discussion between my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and EU partners and Turkey. Recently, he discussed this with the Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, during his visit to Ankara on 7 October, and during the visit to the UK on 19 October of the German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer. On these and other occasions, he reaffirmed the support of the UK Government for Turkey's EU candidacy. Following the European Commission recommendation that Turkey has fulfilled the Copenhagen political criteria, the UK Government believes that the December European Council should now agree to open negotiations without delay.

Iran

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions his Department has had with the Iranian Government regarding uranium enrichment.

Denis MacShane: holding answer 26 October 2004
	Senior officials from the UK, France and Germany had discussions with their Iranian counterparts in Vienna on 21 October.
	They agreed to meet again shortly for further discussions with a view to identifying an agreed way forward through diplomatic means.

PRIME MINISTER

Bush Doctrine

Graham Allen: To ask the Prime Minister whether he has made recent representations to President Bush about the (a) legality and (b) practicality of the Bush Doctrine; and whether he has discussed with him alternative means of dealing with potential threats from rogue states.

Tony Blair: I am in regular discussions with President Bush on a wide range of issues, including our shared imperative of tackling terrorism and other security matters.

Iraq

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  when and from whom in the Iraqi Interim Government he first received a request for British troops to be moved from their present duties in Southern Iraq to unspecified positions south of Baghdad;
	(2)  when and with whom in the US Administration he last discussed the terms of engagement for the deployment of British troops south of Baghdad;
	(3)  when and with whom in the Iraqi Interim Government he last discussed the terms of engagement for the deployment of British troops south of Baghdad.

Tony Blair: As I made clear during Prime Minister's questions on Wednesday 20 October, this request was a military request made by the American military to the British military. This deployment is a part of the process of creating the right conditions for the Iraqi elections to take place in January. We share with the Iraqi Interim Government and with our coalition partners a common goal of creating a secure and stable Iraq.

Iraq

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  when and with whom in the US Administration he last discussed the proposed military assault on Fallujah;
	(2)  when and with whom in the Iraqi Interim Government he last discussed the proposed military assault on Fallujah.

Tony Blair: The Government and UK Military Commanders are engaged in constant dialogue with the US and Iraqi Government on a range of operations in Iraq. Disclosing details would endanger those operations.

United Nations

Graham Allen: To ask the Prime Minister whether he plans to bring forward proposals to allow the United Nations a right of action against sovereign states which pose (a) a potential threat to international peace and security and (b) an actual or imminent risk of humanitarian catastrophe or violations of basic human rights.

Tony Blair: The UN Secretary-General has set up a High Level Panel to recommend improvements in the UN's response to threats to international peace and security, including in these areas. The UK has put forward ideas to the Panel which encourage earlier collective action to deal with threats to peace and security and with humanitarian emergencies. These proposals are set out in the Command Paper The United Kingdom in the United Nations (Cm 6325) presented to Parliament on 21 October 2004.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Economy

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the performance of the Northern Ireland economy.

Barry Gardiner: The Northern Ireland economy has performed well over recent years. Employment is at record levels while the unemployment rate is currently at the lowest recorded level ever at 4.7 per cent. The latest available figures show that annual growth in the Northern Ireland economy was the second highest of the UK regions.

Unemployment

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the levels of unemployment in Northern Ireland in (a) 1997 and (b) 2004.

Barry Gardiner: The latest available data, for the period June to August, shows that unemployment in Northern Ireland has fallen from 61,000 to 35,000 between 1997 and 2004.
	The current unemployment rate of 4.7 per cent. compares favourably to the rate of 8.1 per cent. recorded during the same period in 1997.

Decommissioning

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the decommissioning of illegally held weapons and explosives.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Anniesland (John Robertson).

Peace Process

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Leeds Castle talks.

Paul Murphy: A large measure of progress was made on the key points at Leeds Castle and we are reflecting now on how to finalise the outstanding institutional issues. As the Prime Minister has said, we cannot allow matters to drift.

Water Rates

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the timetable for the introduction of water rates in Northern Ireland has been changed; and if he will make a statement.

John Spellar: I announced my proposals for the basis on which household water and sewerage charges will be set and also changes to the current arrangements for charging non-domestic customers on 13 September 2004. The announcement said that the new charges would be phased in from 200607, or as soon as practicable thereafter.
	Implementation depends on a range of practical factors, but that target remains our aim.

Paramilitary Activity

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the current level of punishment beatings and shootings.

Ian Pearson: The Government remain concerned at the level of control exercised by both loyalist and republican paramilitary organisations within their communities. So far this year (to 17 October) there have been 192 paramilitary attacks, 48 fewer than for the same period last year. Loyalists have been responsible for carrying out almost three times as many attacks as republicans77 shootings and 65 assaults, compared to 22 shootings and 28 assaults by republicans. The Independent Monitoring Commission is due to report on this area shortly.

Racism

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to combat racism in Northern Ireland.

John Spellar: The Government have frequently put on record our abhorrence of all forms of intolerance and racism. We are committed to eradicating such manifestations of hatred, whether based on racism or based on sectarianism and are developing a co-ordinated response to the problem in Northern Ireland. The issues raised by racism are issues for all sections of society in Northern Ireland and in expressing abhorrence of racism, all of us must avoid the temptation to demonise entire areas and communities.
	It would be an act of prejudice itself to stereotype people because of where they live or because of their community background. The Belfast Agreement provides a unique opportunity to bring about a society which will recognise the full and equal legitimacy and worth of identities, senses of allegiance and ethos of all sections of the community in Northern Ireland.
	The final version of the Race Equality Strategy (which takes account of extensive consultation with all sections of NI society) will be published by the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister soon and specific actions will be included in a detailed implementation plan developed in line with the strategy.
	The Government's Community Safety Strategy, which is being implemented through the Community Safety Unit of the Northern Ireland Office, identified offences motivated by prejudice and hatred as a central theme in making Northern Ireland a safer place for all its citizens. Specifically, the strategy seeks to reduce the levels of crime motivated by sectarianism, and to promote and enhance the safety of minority ethnic residents.
	Currently, the unit is facilitating a working group of voluntary and statutory organisations which aims to establish a clear framework and operational system for the recording and monitoring of a number of hate crimes. These will include sectarian, racist and homophobic incidents, as well as those relating to disability. An agreed framework is now in place with implementation intended by December 2004.Within its Community Safety grant programme, the Challenge Competition, the unit has also provided funding towards four projects which have a central theme of countering prejudice and hatred to a total value of 273,255.
	Enforcement action by Police Service of Northern Ireland will continue to be the key to tackling such attacks. This will be accompanied by a range of actions by the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Departments. As well as new legislative proposals, these will include measures on education, housing, health and social policy issues.
	Legislation for Northern Ireland, aimed at tackling racially motivated offences is contained in the Criminal Justice (No. 2) Order 2004, commenced on 28 September 2004 and will require sentencers, where offences are aggravated by such hostility, to treat racial and religious aggravation as an aggravating factor when sentencing. The legislation will also cover offences motivated by hatred of sexual orientation and disability. The proposals will also increase maximum sentences available for certain specified, mainly violent offences including where racial, religious or sexual aggravation is proven.

Employment (Belfast)

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps the Government are taking to attract jobs to East Belfast.

Barry Gardiner: Invest NI initiatives which can help attract jobs to East Belfast include stimulating new foreign investment, helping existing companies develop key capabilities and encouraging entrepreneurship through increased new business starts. Invest NI's 104 client companies in the constituency employ around 10,000 people and its programmes have provided 17.9 million support towards almost 68 million investment in these companies since April 2002.

Crime

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on levels of non-paramilitary crime in Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: Recorded crime statistics produced by the Police Service of Northern Ireland do not distinguish between paramilitary and non-paramilitary crime. There is no simple dichotomy between a paramilitary and a non-paramilitary crime and it would be impossible to authoritatively conclude whether every crime was or was not linked to paramilitary organisations.
	What I can say is that there were a total of 127,953 offences recorded in Northern Ireland during 200304 compared with 142,496 in 2003. This represents a decrease of 10.2 per cent. The overall clearance rate was 27.4 per cent., 4.4 per cent. higher than that achieved in the previous year.
	Police figures released for the period April to September 2004 show 6,608 fewer recorded offences, a decrease of 10.2 per cent. on the same period last year. This is a result of excellent proactive police work and community involvement right across Northern Ireland. I am confident that this downward trend will continue as long as the police and communities work together to make Northern Ireland a safer place for all.

Fly-tipping

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were convicted of illegal fly-tipping in Northern Ireland in each of the past five years; what penalties are available for those convicted of illegal fly-tipping; and what steps he is taking to prevent illegal fly-tipping.

Angela Smith: For the four years 19992003, district councils held responsibility for prosecuting cases where waste was fly-tipped. The Department of the Environment has asked district councils to supply data on convictions during this period. I will write to the hon. Lady when this is available.
	On 19 December 2003, the responsibility for such prosecutions transferred to the Department, although powers to require the removal of fly-tipped waste were retained by district councils. Since this date, the Department's Environment and Heritage Service has investigated many cases where waste has been illegally deposited. There are currently 129 cases under investigation, 18 being considered by the Public Prosecution Service and one case where a conviction has been obtained.
	Penalties for conviction are dependent on where the case is heard. Currently the maximum penalty available is up to six months' imprisonment or a fine of up to 20,000, or both, for cases heard in the magistrates court; or up to two years' imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine for cases heard in the Crown court.
	To combat illegal waste disposal, the Department of the Environment has developed a specialised team, which works closely with district councils, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Northern Ireland, and HM Customs. It has produced guidance for district councils and it enforces the regulations under Registration of Carriers and Duty of Care.

Hazardous Waste

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 19 October 2004, Official Report, column 674W, on hazardous waste, why incidences of illegally disposed special waste were not recorded before 2002.

Angela Smith: Under the Special Waste Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998, the movement of special waste is monitored by means of a consignment note which accompanies the waste from its point of arising to its destination. The Department of the Environment retains records for the movement of special waste including the subsequent movement of any reported illegally deposited waste. These records are available for all movements of special waste from September 1998 and were consolidated into a database from October 2001. Records prior to October 2001 date are not therefore readily available and could be collated only at disproportionate cost.

Hazardous Waste

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to prevent the illegal disposal of special waste in Northern Ireland; what penalties are available for those caught illegally disposing special waste in Northern Ireland; and how many convictions there have been since 2002 for the illegal disposal of special waste.

Angela Smith: The Department of the Environment administers and enforces the Special Waste Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998 (the 1998 Regulations) which control the movement of special waste throughout Northern Ireland. The Department audits and inspects those involved in the movement of special waste, including the producers, the waste carriers and the facilities receiving the waste, to ensure compliance with the regulations. The Department also works with others to promote compliance and awareness among those involved in the chain of special waste.
	There are a number of pieces of legislation that are applicable to the illegal disposal of special waste. A person who commits an offence under the 1998 Regulations shall be liable, on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale (presently 5,000); or, on conviction on indictment, to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both. The penalties are applicable for each offence.
	Article 4 of the Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 (the 1997 Order) relates to the unauthorised or harmful disposal of waste. A person guilty of an offence under this article in relation to special waste shall be liable, on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to a fine not exceeding 20,000 or to both; or, on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to a fine or to both. Also, under Article 5 of the 1997 Order, which relates to 'duty of care' requirements, any person failing to comply with certain requirements therein shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum (presently 5,000); and, on conviction on indictment, to a fine. Again, these penalties are applicable for each offence.
	There has been one conviction since 2002, and there are several cases pending.

Hospital-acquired Infections

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the infection control strategy used to combat the incidence of MRSA and other healthcare-acquired infections in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The 1990 GB guidelines for combating MRSA set out in the working party report headed by Dr. G. Duckworth, revised in 1998, are followed in Northern Ireland. In April 2000 the Department issued guidance (HSS (MD) 9/2000), entitled The Management and Control of Hospital Infection, to the Health and Personal Social Services in Northern Ireland setting out a programme of action for the HPSS. This sought to strengthen the prevention and control of infection in hospital, secure appropriate health care services for patients with infection, improve surveillance of hospital infection and to monitor and optimise antimicrobial prescribing.
	The Department has been undertaking a range of activities to reduce the incidence of MRSA and other healthcare-acquired infections and has most recently announced the setting up of a working group under the chairmanship of the Chief Medical Officer to produce an infection control strategy whose key aim will be the prevention and control of the spread of infection in hospitals and other health care settings.

IT Access

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on access for health visitors and community nurses in the Province to (a) computers, (b) the internet and (c) IT training.

Angela Smith: There are a number of initiatives aimed at increasing access to Information and Communications Technology facilities for health and social care professionals working in the community, including health visitors and community nurses. Wherever access to ICT is provided, this includes, if appropriate, access to internet services. There is no central information on provision of ICT facilities specifically for health visitors and community nurses.
	Training in the use of ICT is provided by trusts, who are encouraged to make use of computer-based training facilities, including access to the European Computer Driving Licence training facilities used by the NHS in England.
	The Person-centred Community Information System project will provide ICT services for all community health and social care professionals in the next three years. This project includes provision of technology and use of internet services to support care professionals through training in ICT and professional information services.

Public Appointments

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on public appointments for which his Department is responsible and compliance with (a) equal opportunities and (b) fair employment legislation.

Paul Murphy: Appointments to the boards of non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) for the Northern Ireland Administration and the Northern Ireland Office are governed by the Codes of Practice of the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland and Great Britain respectively. The overriding principle is that selection must be based on merit, through the well informed choice of individuals who, through their abilities, experience and qualities match the needs of the body in question. The Commissioner's Codes also require departments to ensure their processes for making appointments comply with the statutory duty under section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity. The Commissioner's principles are routinely applied to all appointments in Northern Ireland by the departments and the Northern Ireland Office.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Educational and Skills what advice he gives to social services departments on how to deal with families who have individuals suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Margaret Hodge: The National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services published in September, sets national standards for children's health and social care. Standard 9, of the framework The Mental Health and Psychological Well-being of Children and Young People, states that all children and young people, from birth to their 18th birthday, who have mental health problems and disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have access to timely, integrated, high quality, multi-disciplinary mental health services to ensure effective assessment, treatment, support and advice, for them and their families.

Environmental Measures (Schools)

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what action his Department is taking to ensure that schools incorporate sustainable and environmental measures into their school buildings as part of the capital investment in school buildings;
	(2)  if his Department will ensure that sufficient funding is available for schools to incorporate sustainable and environmental measures into their school buildings as part of the capital investment in school buildings;
	(3)  what steps his Department is taking to support the incorporation of sustainable and environmental measures into school buildings;
	(4)  how much has been provided by his Department for capital investment in school buildings in each of the last 10 years; and how much of this total was invested in sustainable and environmental measures.

Charles Clarke: My Department is committed to sustainable development in education. Our Sustainable Development Action Plan for Education and Skills, launched in September 2003, sets out the work we are doing, and I am placing copies in the House Library. Action on capital investment and school buildings includes the production of a new Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) for schools, which we are launching today at the Environment Agency's annual conference in Birmingham. We also promote good practice through building bulletins, which explain the application of building regulations to schools, demonstration projects such as our 'classrooms of the future' and 'exemplar schools of the future', and the development of design quality indicators.
	This Department's support for capital investment in school buildings, including PFI credits, is 4.5 billion this year, 200405. Capital support, including PFI credits and ICT, will rise to 5.5 billion in 200506 and then, following the Spending Review 2004, by 750 million to 6.3 billion in 200708. The figures for school buildings, including PFI credits, over the last 10 years are as follows:
	
		
			   million 
		
		
			 199495 613 
			 199596 625 
			 199697 683 
			 199798 755 
			 199899 887 
			 19992000 1,040 
			 200001 1,824 
			 200102 1,828 
			 200203 2,156 
			 200304 3,039 
		
	
	We do not ring-fence our support for environmental and sustainable measures, and do not collect information about how resources are invested locally. But these are substantial amounts that will allow all new schools to aim for at least a 'very good' rating under BREEAM, and for existing schools to improve their sustainability.

GCSE Results

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the lowest mark needed to obtain (a) GCSE mathematics, (b) GCSE English and (c) GCSE physics at (i) A grade, (ii) C grade and (iii) pass has been in each year from 1995 to 2004; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: This information is the responsibility of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. We have requested that they place the information in the House of Commons Library.

Higher Education

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of school leavers domiciled in each local education authority area in England entered higher education in the UK in each year since 1997.

Kim Howells: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 4 October 2004, Official Report, column 1806W, which gave the latest available figures up to 2003. Data for 2004 will not be available until February 2005.

Home Education

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils of school age were educated at home in each age group in (a) Somerset and (b) Taunton in each year since 1997.

David Miliband: The available information is shown in the table.
	
		Number of pupils not in school and being otherwise educated, 19972004, Somerset local education authority and England
		
			  Somerset local education authority England 
			  Pupils aged 510 Pupils aged 1115 Pupils aged 16+ Total Pupil  aged 510 Pupils aged 1115 Pupils aged 16+ Total 
		
		
			 1997 63 77 1 141 2,291 9,500 504 12,295 
			 1998 71 234 9 314 2,462 10,587 545 13,594 
			 1999 83 308 5 396 2,232 11,351 422 14,005 
			 2000 93 344 3 440 2,825 12,264 585 15,674 
			 2001 24 337 1 362 3,037 12,843 427 16,307 
			 2002 64 119 19 202 3,361 15,187 386 18,934 
			 2003 10 38 0 48 3,473 15,422 1,371 20,266 
			 2004 82 165 1 248 3,447 14,385 1,310 19,142 
		
	
	Source:
	8B Survey
	The available figures record for each local education authority the number of pupils not in school and being otherwise educated under arrangements made by the authority. As well as covering pupils taught at home, this includes but does not separately identify, traveller children and asylum seekers at further education colleges or with voluntary providers. It does not however include pupils who are being educated at home through parental choice and independent of local education authority arrangements.

Schools (Hounslow)

Ann Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many new buildings have been built in Hounslow schools since 2001.

David Miliband: We do not hold this information. The bulk of capital funding is allocated to local authorities and schools by formula so that they can decide their priorities for investment in line with locally decided asset management plans. Records of how this funding is used should therefore be held locally.
	Capital resources allocated to Hounslow and its schools amounted to 36.1 million in 200304 (including 25.7 million of PFI credits), and 9.5 million this year, 200405.

Private Finance Initiative

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the private finance initiative arrangements in which the Department is engaged; what the total cost of each arrangement is (a) over its lifetime and (b) in each year of its operation; and how the arrangement appears in the Department's public accounts.

David Miliband: The Department does not have any PFIs. Schools PFI projects are based on contractual agreements reached between local education authorities (LEAs) and private contractors. The Department gives support to LEAs in securing PFI projects for schools, but enters into no PFI arrangements itself.

School Milk

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Mid-Dorset and North Poole (Mrs. Brooke) on 6 February 2004, Official Report, column 1118W, on school milk, if he will list those education authorities in England which make use of the EU subsidy to provide school milk.

Alun Michael: I have been asked to reply.
	The following list gives the names of all local authorities in England that participated in the EU school milk subsidy scheme during the last 12 months.
	Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
	Bath and North East Somerset
	Bedfordshire County Council
	Birmingham City Council
	Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
	Blackpool Borough Council
	Borough of Poole
	Bournemouth Borough Council
	Bracknell Forest Borough Council
	Bradford Metropolitan Borough Council
	Brighton and Hove Council
	Bristol City Council
	Buckinghamshire County Council
	Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council
	Cambridgeshire County Council
	Cheshire County Council
	City of Salford
	City of Stoke On Trent
	City of York Council
	Cornwall County Council
	Corporation of London
	Coventry Metropolitan Borough
	Cumbria County Council
	Darlington Borough Council
	Derby City Council
	Derbyshire County Council
	Devon County Council
	Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council
	Dorset County Council
	Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council
	Durham Council
	East Riding of Yorkshire County Council
	East Sussex County Council
	Essex County Council
	Fordbridge Parish Council
	Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council
	Gloucestershire County Council
	Halton Borough Council
	Hampshire County Council
	Hartlepool Borough Council
	Herefordshire Council
	Hertfordshire County Council
	Isle of Wight Council
	Kent County Council
	Kingshurst Parish Council
	Kingston Upon Hull Education Services
	Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council
	Lancashire County Council
	Leeds City Council
	Leicester City Council Education Department
	Leicestershire County Council
	Lincolnshire County Council
	Liverpool City Council
	London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames
	London Borough of Barking
	London Borough of Barnet
	London Borough of Bexley
	London Borough of Brent
	London Borough of Bromley
	London Borough of Camden
	London Borough of Croydon
	London Borough of Ealing
	London Borough of Enfield
	London Borough of Greenwich
	London Borough of Hackney
	London Borough of Haringey
	London Borough of Harrow
	London Borough of Havering
	London Borough of Hillingdon
	London Borough of Hounslow
	London Borough of Islington
	London Borough of Lambeth
	London Borough of Lewisham
	London Borough of Merton
	London Borough of Newham
	London Borough of Redbridge
	London Borough of Sutton
	London Borough of Tower Hamlets
	London Borough of Waltham Forest
	London Borough of Wandsworth
	Luton Borough Council
	Medway Council Education and Leisure
	Metropolitan Borough of Tameside
	Metropolitan Borough of Wolverhampton
	Metropolitan Borough of Bolton
	Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley
	Metropolitan Borough of Manchester
	Metropolitan Borough of Wirral
	Middlesbrough Council Education  Leisure
	Milton Keynes Council
	North East Derbyshire District Council
	Newcastle City Council
	Norfolk County Council
	North East Lincolnshire Council
	North Lincolnshire Council
	North Somerset Council
	North Tyneside Council
	North Yorkshire County Council
	Northamptonshire County Council
	Northumberland County Council
	Nottingham County Council
	Nottinghamshire County Council
	Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council
	Peterborough City Council Education Department
	Plymouth City Council
	Portsmouth Education Authority
	Reading Borough Council
	Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council
	Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
	Royal Borough Of Kingston Upon Thames
	Rutland County Council
	Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
	Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
	Sheffield City Council
	Shropshire County Council
	Slough Borough Council
	Smiths Wood Parish Council
	Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
	Somerset County Council
	South Gloucestershire Council Education Department
	South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council
	Southampton City Council
	Southend on Sea Borough Council Education Department
	Southwark Council Education Department
	St. Helens Borough Council
	Staffordshire County Council
	Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council
	Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
	Suffolk County Council
	Surrey County Council
	Swindon Borough Council
	Telford and Wrekin Council
	The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
	Thurrock Council
	Torbay Council
	Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council
	Wakefield Borough Council
	Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council
	Warrington Borough Council
	Warwickshire County Council
	West Berkshire District Council
	West Sussex County Council
	Westminster City Council
	Wigan Borough Council
	Wiltshire County Council
	Winsford Town Council
	Wokingham District Council
	Worcestershire County Council
	Source:Rural Payments Agency

Student Visas

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the impact of changes in the number of people arriving from outside the UK on student visas in 2003 on the resources available to the higher education sector;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the impact of recent changes in the rejection rate for student visa applications on academic disciplines in the higher education sector;
	(3)  what representations he has made to the Foreign Secretary on the predicted impact of charges for applications and extensions to student visas on the number of overseas students attending higher education institutions in the UK.

Kim Howells: My Department is not able to assess the direct effect of changes to the visa arrangements on either the resources consequently available to higher education institutions, or on the numbers of international students choosing particular higher education courses. Data on the number of students in higher education in 200304 and the current academic year are not yet available. While no formal representations have been made to the Foreign Secretary on the proposed charges for applications to extend leave to remain in the UK, officials across government are working together to consider the possible impacts, and to ensure they are not unduly prohibitive for international students.

University Access/Admissions

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether he expects the Director General of the Office for Fair Access to commission research into access to university places; and whether he would expect such research to be published.

Kim Howells: It is entirely a matter for the Director whether he commissions any research and what he publishes. Any report which the Director provides for the Secretary of State will be laid before Parliament.

University Access/Admissions

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether he plans to publish any further guidance which he gives to the Director General of the Office for Fair Access.

Kim Howells: The Secretary of State has sent a letter of guidance to the Director of Fair Access to Higher Education, Sir Martin Harris, and copies are available in the House of Commons Library. This letter was published in draft in July. Any further statutory guidance will also be published.

University Access/Admissions

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to meet the Director General of the Office for Fair Access to Universities.

Kim Howells: The Secretary of State hopes to meet Sir Martin Harris, the Director of Fair Access to Higher Education, in the near future.

University Access/Admissions

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills where he expects the Office of Fair Access to be located.

Kim Howells: The Office for Fair Access will be co-located with HEFCE in Bristol initially.

University Access/Admissions

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the Office of Fair Access will be able to consider complaints of unfairness and discrimination from (a) students and (b) schools.

Kim Howells: The Office for Fair Access can consider complaints from any interested party relating to a possible breach of an institution's access agreement.

University Access/Admissions

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what targets he expects the Office of Fair Access to set universities; and what criteria he expects the Office of Fair Access to use in determining whether universities are allowed to charge fees.

Kim Howells: The Office for Fair Access will not set targets for institutions. Institutions will decide themselves what milestones they will include in their access agreements, as a measure of success. We expect the Director of Fair Access to issue guidance to institutions on access agreements shortly.

University Access/Admissions

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what factors led him to supplement the draft letter of statutory guidance to the Director of the Office of Fair Access (OFFA) issued during the passage of the Higher Education Act 2004 with paragraph 9.5 of the new draft letter of statutory guidance to the Director of OFFA issued on 14 July; and whether he expects (a) type of school and (b) socio-economic background to be included in the milestones relating to university admission referred to in paragraph 9.5.

Kim Howells: The draft letter of statutory guidance was revised in the light of the parliamentary debates on the Higher Education Bill and discussions with the sector and other interested parties. As we have always made clear, institutions will set their own milestones.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Royal Security

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the percentage apportionments of costs were between the United Kingdom and (a) Australia, (b) Canada and (c) New Zealand for providing security on the occasion of the most recent visit, in each case, by (i) Her Majesty the Queen and (ii) other members of the Royal Family; whether different arrangements and costings apply when the visit is (A) official and (B) private; and if he will make a statement.

David Blunkett: We do not have a breakdown of the security costs for these visits as any such costs incurred by host countries are entirely a matter for that country. As regards costs incurred by agencies in the United Kingdom it is our long established policy not to reveal details of the costs of protection arrangements as to do so could be indicative of the levels of protection provided, and so could compromise an individual's security.

Royal Security

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what protocols and agreements exist with (a) Canada, (b) Australia, (c) New Zealand and (d) other Commonwealth countries where Her Majesty is Head of State as to the responsibility of their police forces to provide security for Her Majesty and other members of the Royal Family (i) on official visits and (ii) private visits; and if he will make a statement.

David Blunkett: As Head of State, when Her Majesty the Queen visits a foreign or Commonwealth country she is entitled, under customary international law, to receive protection from the host country, regardless of whether it is a private or official visit. There are no specific protocols or agreements relating to the protection of Her Majesty the Queen or other members of the Royal Family. Arrangements for the protection of members of the Royal Family on visits overseas are a matter for discussion with the security authorities of the host country concerned.

Animal Experiments

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of animal experimentation undertaken in the UK in 2003 was not for purely medical research.

Caroline Flint: The question cannot be answered definitively from the data collected. Procedures conducted purely for medical research would be included among the 693,743 and 150,679 procedures reported as being for applied studies (human and veterinary medicine respectively) in Table 1 of the annual publication Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain, 2003, a copy of which is in the Library. However such procedures would also include a substantial but unknown proportion of the 902,570 procedures for which breeding was the only regulated use, and many of the 832,926 procedures reported as being for fundamental biological research since many of these studies would have been done to obtain an eventual medical benefit.

Animal Experiments

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of animal experimentation undertaken in the UK in 2003 was for household product testing; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The information requested may be found in Table 10 of the annual publication Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain, 2003, a copy of which is in the Library. This table shows that last year, 234 procedures were started for the purpose of safety testing of products used in the household. This figure represents 0.0084 per cent. of the total number of procedures conducted in 2003.

Animal Experiments

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is in respect of the testing of finished household products on animals.

Caroline Flint: The Government currently have no plans to ban the use of animals in assessing the safety of finished household products or their ingredients. National and international regulatory bodies require that the chemicals used in a range of household products are tested to assess the risk they might pose to man, animals and the environment. Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 such testing using animals can only be licensed when the information to be obtained is considered essential to the required risk assessment, and when it cannot be obtained by non-animal methods. Unfortunately, there are, in some cases, still no reliable alternatives to this kind of animal testing if the necessary safety data are to be generated.

Animal Experiments

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to change the regulations and legislation in relation to the licensing and monitoring of animal experiments.

Caroline Flint: The licensing and monitoring of animal experiments in the UK stem from the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, which transposes into UK lawand in some respects exceedsthe requirements of EU Directive 86/609. The 1986 Act is widely regarded as the most rigorous piece of legislation of its kind in the world, and there are at present no plans to change it or the regulation for which it provides.

Animal Experiments

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are taken to ensure that licensed animal experiments in the UK are not being unnecessarily duplicated in other countries.

Caroline Flint: Animal experiments in the UK are not knowingly licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 if they unnecessarily duplicate such work undertaken elsewhere. Appropriate checks on this are undertaken when licence applications are considered. The Government cannot ensure that work licensed in the UK is not subsequently repeated in other countries, as that is beyond its jurisdiction. However, it contributes at the European and wider international level to ongoing efforts to prevent animals being used unnecessarily.

Animal Experiments

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he plans to take to eradicate redundancy in animal experiments.

Caroline Flint: There are no plans to take any steps beyond continued rigorous application of the licensing controls in the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, one effect of which is to ensure that there are no redundancies or unnecessary duplication in the conduct of animal experiments. Although some replication of experimental work is occasionally required for the purposes of scientific validation, the Government considers that the current regulatory system, as administered and implemented by the Home Office and its Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate, is effective in ensuring that animals are not bred or used unnecessarily.

Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) men and (b) women are detained under the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001.

David Blunkett: Seventeen people have been certified under Part 4 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 (the ATCS Act); 16 of them have been detained under this Act and one under other powers. Excluding those who have been released from detention, or who are detained under other powers (including criminal charges which have been brought since detention), nine people are currently held under Part 4 of the ATCS Act. All of the detainees are male. Parliament has been informed of all certifications.
	From 14 December 2001 to 17 October 2003, there were 24 convictions under Part 5 of the Act (Race and Religion) for religiously aggravated crime; one conviction for trespass under Part 9 (Aviation Security); and one conviction for hoaxes involving noxious substances or things (Section 114). We do not have information on the sex of the individuals concerned.

Council of Ministers

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a Written Ministerial Statement outlining for each meeting of the Council of Ministers at which his Department is represented as soon as is practicable following that meeting (a) the key items of discussion, (b) the positions of the Government on those items, (c) the key positions taken by other member states that Ministers consider should be noted by Members and (d) any preliminary discussion on the timing and the agenda of the following meeting.

Caroline Flint: This is a useful suggestion and HMG will consider it further, in line with its policy of keeping Parliament better informed on EU business.

Crime (Yorkshire)

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average period of time between arrest for a drugs-related offence in York and referral to a drug treatment agency was in (a) 1997 and (b) 200304.

Caroline Flint: Data is not available in the format requested. The National Treatment Agency has set national targets on maximum acceptable waiting times for all Drug Action Teams, measuring the period from referral to entry into treatment.
	Waiting times for York in (a) 1997: data was not collected centrally at this time. Waiting times for (b) 200304 are listed against the NTA target:
	
		
			  York 200304 NTA target 2003 
		
		
			 Community prescribing specialist 12 6 
			 GP prescribing 3 4 
			 Structured counselling 2 4 
			 In-patient detox 0 4 
			 Residential rehab (1) 4 
		
	
	(1) Service not available
	The requirement for compliance with arrest referral is for the referee to make contact with the agency within 15 days. Once the client has made that contact they are normally seen by a treatment agency within a week in York.

Deepcut Barracks

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will release to the family of the deceased the Surrey police report into the death of Private Geoff Gray at Deepcut barracks on 17 September 2001.

Paul Goggins: Surrey police owns the report into the death of Private Geoff Gray and it must be its decision as to whether it is released to members of his family.
	Surrey police inform me that it is negotiating the disclosure of the report into Private Gray's death with the legal representatives of his family.

Drugs

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what confiscation of drugs has taken place in the Greater London area during the last 12 months.

Caroline Flint: The number of drug seizures made in the Greater London Area by the Metropolitan and City of London Police forces was 28,020 in 2002, the most recent year for which data is available. Details are given in the table.
	
		Table 1: Number of Drug Seizures by type, 2002
		
			  City of London Metropolitan Police City of London and Met Police 
		
		
			 All drugs 640 27,380 28,020 
			 
			 Class A drugs
			 Cocaine 10 520 530 
			 Crack 10 1,870 1,880 
			 Heroin 20 2,030 2,050 
			 LSD 0 10 10 
			 Ecstasy-type 40 890 930 
			 Methadone 10 190 200 
			 Other 0 270 270 
			 Total 80 6,090 6,180 
			 
			 Class B drugs
			 Cannabis 540 21,570 22,110 
			 Amphetamines 10 330 340 
			 Other 0 70 70 
			 Total 550 21,850 22,400 
			 
			 Class C drugs
			 Benzodiazepines 0 150 160 
			 Temazepam 0 10 10 
			 Anabolic steroids0 10 10 
			 Other 0 0 0 
			 Total 0 180 180 
			 Unknown 40 10 40 
		
	
	Source:
	Drug seizure and offender statistics, United Kingdom 2001 and 2002Area tables.

Homeland Security

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which areas of government spending relate to resilience issues and homeland security, broken down by department; what the current levels of spending are; what the projected changes in funding are over the next (a) two and (b) five years; and if he will make a statement.

David Blunkett: holding answer 14 October 2004
	For security reasons we would not wish to comment on specific departments' spending on national security or resilience programmes. However I can say the overall government spending on counter terrorism and resilience programmes amounted to 1.48 billion in 200405. Over the course of the current spending review period this spending is projected to rise to the following:
	
		
			   billion 
		
		
			 200506 1.665 
			 200607 2.045 
			 200708 2,115 
		
	
	The figures exclude core military and police spending. Funding for 200809 and 200910 has not been determined and falls into the next Spending Review period.

Impaired Drivers

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for The Home Department how many drivers convicted of driving when under the influence of alcohol or drugs over the past 10 years had previous convictions for the same offence (a) in total and (b) broken down by police authority.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) The figures in the table are derived from the Offenders Index. Data on driving while under the influence of alcohol/drugs are only available for 1996 onwards. We have only provided data for the most recent year available (2002). Comparisons over different years will not be consistent, as the time available to build up previous convictions will vary each year.
	Data are only available for a four week period (see background note for more details).
	Over a four week period in 2002, 6,643 drivers were convicted of driving when under the influence of alcohol or drugs, of these 1,157 (17 per cent.) had a previous conviction for the same offence.
	The numbers with a previous conviction for driving while under the influence of alcohol/drugs by police force area are shown in the following table for 2002 (again based on a four week sample).
	
		
			 Police force area Number convicted of drink/drug driving Number with previous convictions for drink/drug driving Percentage with previous convictions for drink/drug driving 
		
		
			 Metropolitan and  City of London 911 145 16 
			 Cumbria 67 11 16 
			 Lancashire 208 44 21 
			 Merseyside 153 28 18 
			 Greater Manchester 341 77 23 
			 Cheshire 163 22 13 
			 Northumbria 189 24 13 
			 Durham 88 20 23 
			 North Yorkshire 83 8 10 
			 West Yorkshire 276 59 21 
			 South Yorkshire 138 31 22 
			 Humberside 125 20 16 
			 Cleveland 71 12 17 
			 West Midlands 366 77 21 
			 Staffordshire 135 24 18 
			 West Mercia 125 20 16 
			 Warwickshire 69 23 33 
			 Derbyshire 119 22 18 
			 Nottinghamshire 111 12 11 
			 Lincolnshire 59 7 12 
			 Leicestershire 139 23 17 
			 Northamptonshire 16 5 31 
			 Cambridgeshire 54 9 17 
			 Norfolk 108 16 15 
			 Suffolk 86 16 19 
			 Bedfordshire 73 6 8 
			 Hertfordshire 128 22 17 
			 Essex 162 19 12 
			 Thames Valley 298 59 20 
			 Hampshire 276 41 15 
			 Surrey 126 15 12 
			 Kent 189 31 16 
			 Sussex 140 24 17 
			 Devon and Cornwall 200 37 19 
			 Avon and Somerset 182 33 18 
			 Gloucestershire 67 9 13 
			 Wiltshire 71 10 14 
			 Dorset 83 11 13 
			 North Wales 96 15 16 
			 Gwent 74 22 30 
			 South Wales 214 46 21 
			 Dyfed-Powys 64 10 16

Indymedia

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from foreign governments with regard to the seizure of computer equipment from the independent news agency Indymedia on 7 October.

Caroline Flint: The Secretary of State did not receive any representations from foreign governments in this matter.

Magistrates Courts (Environmental Offences)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many defendants have been proceeded against at magistrates courts in each year since 1997 under (a) section 1, (b) section 5, (c) section 6, (d) section 7 and (e) any section of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981;
	(2)  how many defendants have been proceeded against at magistrates courts in each year since 1997 under (a) section 60, (b) section 61, (c) section 62, (d) section 93 and (e) any section of the Control of Pollution Act 1974;
	(3)  how many defendants have been proceeded against at magistrates courts in each year since 1997 under (a) section 110(2)(a), (b) section 110(2)(b), (c) section 110(2)(c), (d) section 110(4)(a), (e) section 110(4)(b) and (f) any section of the Environment Act 1995;
	(4)  how many defendants have been proceeded against at magistrates courts in each year since 1997 under the Clean Air Act 1993.

Paul Goggins: Statistics for defendants proceeded against at the magistrates' courts 1997 to 2002, for offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, Control of Pollution Act 1974, Environmental 1995 and the Clean Air Act 1993 are shown in the attached table.
	Statistics for 2003 will be published in November.
	
		Number of defendants proceeded against at the magistrates' courts for certain offences, England and Wales, 1997 to 2002 1
		
			 Offence Statute 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Protection of wild birds  Protection of nest and eggs of wild birds Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 S.1 60 48 42 33 53 29 
			 Prohibition of certain methods of killing or taking wild birds Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 S.5 8 3 7 5 2 4 
			 Sale etc of live or dead wild birds, eggs, etc Countryside Act 1981 S.6 2 3 2 4 1  
			 Registration etc of certain captive birds Countryside Act 1981 S.7 2  2 2  2 
			  Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981   
			 Summary offences(3) other sections 11 5 9 6 10 10 
			 Either way offences Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 other sections   2 1 2  
			 Control of noise on construction sites. Control of Pollution Act 1974 S.60 29 35 32 68 33 15 
			 Applicant failing to obtain consent etc. to work on construction site, or to bring notice of other person. Control of Pollution Act 1974 S.61 3 1 1  1  
			 Operation of a loud speaker in a street Control of Pollution Act 1974 S.62 34 32 69 13 5 9 
			 Fail to comply with a notice, or fail to furnish information or false information Control of Pollution Act 1974 S.93 as amended by Environment Act 1995 Sch 19 para 1(3) 4 3 
			 Summary Pollution Offences(3) Control of Pollution Act 1974 other sections   
			 Either way offences Control of Pollution Act 1974 other sections S.110(2)(a) 3 1  1   
			 Fail to comply with any requirements of S.108 which specifies the powers of enforcing authorities and persons authorised by them Environment Act 1995 S.110(2)(a) 2 4  4 3 2 
			 Fail or refuse to provide facilities, assistance, information or to permit any inspection reasonably required by an authorised person in the execution of his powers or duties under A.108 Environment Act 1995 S.110(2)(b)  3   2 1 
			 Preventing any person appearing before or from answering any question put by an authorised person under S.108(4) Environment Act 1995 S.110 (2)(c) 1 5  1   
			 Obstructing an authorised person in the execution of his powers under S.109 Environment Act 1995 S.110 (4)(a)2 1  
			 Obstructing an authorised person in the execution of his powers Environment Act 1995 S.110 (4)(b) 2 2 1  1 2 
			 Offences relating to public health as caused by air pollution Clean Air Act 1993 43 52 35 19 17 13 
			 Cable burning Clean Air Act 1993 S.33 1  3 5 3  
		
	
	n/a = Information is not available
	(2) These data are on the principal offence basis
	(3) These offences are coded with a number of other offences, and cannot be separately identified

Organised Crime

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the number of organised criminal gangs operating in the UK.

Caroline Flint: There is no current estimate of the number of organised criminal groups that operate in the UK. Organised criminal groups can range from a collection of people with distinct roles and a hierarchy with clear chains of command and communication, to loose networks where the members coalesce around one or more prominent criminals to undertake particular criminal ventures. And in the latter, the individuals may be involved with a number of sub-groups within the network and therefore be involved in a number of separate criminal ventures at any one time.

Parenting

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has recently (a) published and (b) commissioned on the effects of parenting on life chances for children.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 25 October 2004
	The Home Office has not commissioned or published research specifically into the effect of parenting on life chances but has sponsored research which has included the impact of parenting programmes on the behaviour of children, particularly in relation to preventing offending and anti-social behaviour and the use of drugs.
	In 2002 the Youth Justice Board published Positive Parenting: the effectiveness of the Youth Justice Board's Parenting Programme. The Home Office commissioned research published this year by the Department for Education and Skills What Works in Parenting Support? A Review of the International Evidence.
	Home Office commissioned research which is under way is as follows:
	(i) The Trust for the Study of Adolescence is researching the
	(ii) effect of residential parenting courses into the behaviour of children (Report due 2005);
	(iii) Oxford Brookes University is researching a programme to strengthen family communications and conflict resolution skills to reduce drug and alcohol use in young people. (Report due 2006).
	(iv) The Centre for Social Marketing is researching the Blueprint drug education research programme which aims to maximise the involvement of parents in school drug education and to improve communication between young people and their parents on drug issues. (Report due 2007);

Police

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers are employed in (a) Havering and (b) other London boroughs.

Hazel Blears: To the nearest full-time equivalent, the number of police officers allocated directly to Borough Command Units on 30 September 2004 was as follows:
	
		
			  Strength 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 411 
			 Barnet 534 
			 Bexley 365 
			 Brent 691 
			 Bromley 464 
			 Camden 830 
			 Croydon 662 
			 Ealing 702 
			 Enfield 563 
			 Greenwich 584 
			 Hackney 808 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 523 
			 Haringey 663 
			 Harrow 327 
			 Havering 362 
			 Hillingdon 495 
			 Hounslow 476 
			 Islington 668 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 562 
			 Kingston upon Thames 283 
			 Lambeth 986 
			 Lewisham 629 
			 Merton 342 
			 Newham 775 
			 Redbridge 448 
			 Richmond upon Thames 272 
			 Southwark 864 
			 Sutton 280 
			 Tower Hamlets 749 
			 Waltham Forest 533 
			 Wandsworth 572 
			 Westminster 1,579 
			 All boroughs 19,000

Prisons

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his plans to increase the capacity of the prison estate.

Paul Goggins: There are a number of programmes underway to expand and improve the operational capacity of the prison estate. Through this current programme some 2,400 new prison places are scheduled to come into use by the end of 2006, including a new private prison at Peterborough, due to open in spring 2005.
	My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary also announced on 29 September that 100 million from the Home Office budget for 200506 would fund the start of a new programme to create an additional 1,300 prison places. Taken altogether this will provide over 80,000 prison places.

Terrorism Act

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether a race impact assessment was carried out for the (a) Terrorism Act 2000 and (b) Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001.

David Blunkett: The Race Relations Act 1976 (Statutory Duties) Order 2001 placed a requirement on listed public authorities, including Government departments, to publish a Race Equality Scheme by 31 May 2002 setting out specific duties, including the carrying out of Race Impact Assessments on the likely impact of proposed future policies.
	The Home Office's Race Equality Scheme was published on 25 April 2002. Race Impact Assessments were not therefore carried out for either the Terrorism Act 2000, or the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, as both acts came into force at an earlier date.
	However, we have subsequently established specific working groups on aspects of policy and community relationsincluding on stop and searchto inform the development of both policy and practice.
	The Home Office's Race Equality Schemes can be found at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/comrace/race.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Back to Work Bonuses

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Morley and Rothwell and (b) England have claimed Back to Work bonuses; and what the average amount claimed was in each case.

Chris Pond: Data on the Back to Work bonus is not available below the level of Great Britain. The available information is in the tables.
	
		Income support/pension credit customers that have claimed back to work bonuses Great Britain
		
			  January 1999 to September 2004 
		
		
			 Total claims received 174,790 
			 Total claims processed 166,295 
			 Total claims refused 83,905 
			 Total claims paid 82,390 
			   
			 Total amount of bonus paid () 36,208,420.08 
			 Average amount of bonus paid () 439.48 
		
	
	
		Jobseeker's allowance customers that have claimed back to work bonuses: Great Britain
		
			  January 1999 to September 2004 
		
		
			 Total claims received 120,290 
			 Total claims processed 125,675 
			 Total claims refused 19,980 
			 Total claims paid 105,695 
			   
			 Total amount of bonus paid () 34,544,873 
			 Average amount of bonus paid () 326.84 
		
	
	1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5.
	2. Figures are taken from a 100 per cent. scan.
	3. Amounts are given to the nearest penny.
	4. Excludes May 2003 for IS. These figures are not available due to system errors.
	5. Figures are not reliable prior to January 1999.
	Source:
	ISCS  JSAPS 100 per cent. monthly cans.

Benefit Overpayment

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much is provided for in his Department's accounts for overpaid benefits unrecovered from claimants.

Chris Pond: At 31 March 2003, the figure within the Consolidated Resource Account for Bad Debt Provision for overpayments is 475,271,794.

Child Care (London)

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the relationship between child poverty, unemployment and the availability of affordable child care provision in London;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the relationship between the costs of child care in London and the number of workless households in London; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: Poverty is about more than low income, it also affects the way people livetheir health, housing and the quality of their environment. The Government believes that for many work is the best route out of poverty.
	We are determined to make work pay. That is why we have introduced the New Tax Credits from which over 6 million families are already benefiting and which has helped lift over half a million children out of low income since 1997. However, we know that there is still more to do, both in London and in other regions of the UK.
	We recognise that the availability of affordable child care is key to improving parents' ability to take up and stay in work.
	Since 1998, the Sure Start Unit has created over 81,000 new child care places in London (against a target of 63,000) and delivered 8,000 new Neighbourhood Nursery places. We plan to further improve the availability of child care in London by creating an additional 37,000 places and over 8,000 full-time integrated child care and education places in over 200 new Children's Centres by March 2006.
	Child care provision is only one of many factors affecting employment and poverty in London. For example, London has a much higher proportion of lone mothers than anywhere else in the UK; more lone parents in London have no previous work experience, are full-time students, live in social rented properties and are less likely than those living elsewhere to be receiving any maintenance. All of these factors are associated with lower levels of paid work and contribute to the differences in employment rate between London and the rest of the UK.
	The Government will continue to address these issues through our successful active labour market programmes such as the New Deal and by ensuring, through the Tax Credit system, that there are sufficient financial incentives to make work pay.

Child Support Agency

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the original cost was of the new IT system for the Child Support Agency; how much was to be paid in each year; how much of the contract EDS has been paid in each year; and what the penalty clauses are.

Chris Pond: holding answer 21 October 2004
	The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to my right hon. Friend with the information requested.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Frank Field, dated 27 October 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the original cost was of the new IT system for the Child Support Agency; how much was to be paid in each year; how much of the contract EDS has been paid in each year; and what penalty clauses are in existence.
	All costs of design, development and implementation of the new IT system fall initially to EDS who provide this as a managed service to the Agency. The cost of the service is expected to be 456 million payable over the period to the completion of the contract in 2010.
	The payment due each year is determined by the contract. It is linked to service levels and to the degree of functionality delivered. Between 3rd March 2003 and 19th September 2004, EDS were paid 62.08 million. In that period the Agency retained 12.1 million because of performance problems.
	The contract does not explicitly have penalty clauses. Instead there are provisions to seek remedy where service delivery falls short of expectation or where the business incurs additional costs as a result of the supplier being late in meeting key, agreed delivery points.

Child Support Agency

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his strategy is for rolling out the new Child Support Agency assessment rules for all absent parents.

Chris Pond: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 18 December 2003, Official Report, column 1092W.

Child Support Agency

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects existing Child Support Agency cases to migrate to the new system of liability calculation; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to expedite the transfer of all Child Support Agency payments to the system applying to new cases since March 2003; when he expects all payments to be made under the new formula; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: I refer the hon. Members to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink) on 18 December 2003, Official Report, column 1092W.

Disability Income Guarantee

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Yorkshire and Humber and (b) the City of York receive the disability income guarantee; and what its value is.

Chris Pond: The Disability Income Guarantee is paid by means of enhanced disability premiums through income support, jobseeker's allowance (income based), housing benefit and council tax benefit. The enhanced disability premium in all of these benefits is worth 11.60 per week for a single person, 16.75 for a couple and 17.08 for a child.
	The available information is in the following tables.
	
		Income-related benefit recipients with an enhanced disability premium, Yorkshire and the Humber Government OfficeRegion GOR
		
			  Thousand 
		
		
			 May 2003 (4)20 
		
	
	
		Housing benefit (HB) and council tax benefit (CTB) recipients with an enhanced disability premium, Yorkshire and theHumber GOR
		
			  Caseload (Thousand) 
			  HB CTB 
		
		
			 May 2003 11 13 
		
	
	
		Income support/jobseeker's allowance (IB) recipients with an enhanced disability premium
		
			  Caseload (Thousand) 
			  Yorkshire and the Humber GOR City of York parliamentary constituency 
		
		
			 May 2003 16.6 (5)0.3 
			 May 2004 17.3 (5)0.3 
		
	
	(4) Due to the process involved in removing overlaps, the income-related benefits caseload is rounded to the nearest 10,000.
	(5) These figures are based on very few sample cases and are subject to a high degree of sampling variation. These figures should be used as a guide to the current situation only.
	Notes:
	1. The figures are based on 1 per cent. and 5 per cent. samples and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.
	2. Council tax benefit totals exclude any second adult rebate cases.
	3. Housing benefit figures exclude any extended payment cases.
	4. Figures refer to HB, CTB and IS/JSA(IB) claimants in receipt of enhanced disability premium or enhanced child disability premium.
	5. IS/JSA(IB) caseloads are rounded to the nearest hundred and expressed in thousands, and HB and CTB caseloads are rounded to the nearest thousand.
	6. HB and CTB caseloads will include overlaps where a claimant is in receipt of both benefits.
	7. Income-related benefit caseloads include HB/CTB/IS/JSA(IB) recipients with all overlaps removed.
	8. IS/JSA(IB) data includes claimants in receipt of income-based JSA who would also be entitled to the contributory element.
	9. It is not possible to determine the value of the disability income guarantee. The total amounts refer to amounts of HB, CTB, IS/JSA(IB) paid to recipients with enhanced disability premium or enhanced child disability premium. It is not possible to determine how much of each benefit is due to the disability premium.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 1 per cent. and 5 per cent. samples.

Incapacity Benefit

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many incapacity benefit claimants there are in Wrexham, broken down by (a) ward and (b) sex.

Maria Eagle: The information is in the table.
	
		Incapacity benefits claimants in Wrexham by ward and gender
		
			 Ward name All claimants Female Male 
		
		
			 Wrexham 8,340 3,460 4,875 
			 Acton 210 95 120 
			 Borras Park 125 45 80 
			 Bronington 90 45 45 
			 Brymbo 205 85 125 
			 Brynyffynnon 195 85 110 
			 Bryn Cefn 145 60 90 
			 Cartrefle 205 85 120 
			 Cefn 450 180 270 
			 Dyffryn Ceiriog/Ceiriog Valley 95 45 50 
			 Chirk North 125 65 60 
			 Chirk South 70 30 45 
			 Coedpoeth 325 135 185 
			 Erddig 100 35 60 
			 Esclusham 160 75 85 
			 Garden Village 80 35 50 
			 Gresford East and West 115 40 75 
			 Grosvenor 175 60 115 
			 Gwenfro 170 65 110 
			 Gwersyllt East and South 220 105 110 
			 Gwersyllt North 190 70 125 
			 Gwersyllt West 215 100 115 
			 Hermitage 265 115 155 
			 Holt 125 55 70 
			 Johnstown 225 105 120 
			 Little Acton 105 40 60 
			 Llangollen Rural 100 40 60 
			 Llay 285 115 170 
			 Maesydre 135 70 65 
			 Marchwiel 85 45 45 
			 Marford and Hoseley 45 15 25 
			 Minera 120 40 80 
			 New Broughton 195 85 115 
			 Offa 120 45 75 
			 Overton 75 30 45 
			 Pant 200 95 115 
			 Penycae 230 95 140 
			 Penycae and Ruabon South 165 75 90 
			 Plas Madoc 270 105 160 
			 Ponciau 365 150 215 
			 Queensway 280 110 175 
			 Rhosnesni 115 55 65 
			 Rossett 85 40 50 
			 Ruabon 200 80 115 
			 Smithfield 220 80 145 
			 Stansty 130 50 80 
			 Whitegate 240 115 130 
			 Wynnstay 285 105 185 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Wards are based on 2003 ward boundaries.
	2. All ward level benefit data is the latest currently available, August 2003.
	3. All benefit counts have been rounded to a multiple of five to protect the confidentiality of individual claimants, consequently breakdowns will not always sum to the totals given.
	4. Figures are for claimants in receipt of incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance or national insurance credits only.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, Department for Work and Pensions.

Incapacity Benefit

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claimed incapacity benefit in Yeovil constituency in each year from 198586 to 200405; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The available information is in the following table.
	
		Incapacity benefit (IB) and severe disablement allowance(SDA) claimants in the Yeovil parliamentary constituencyat the dates shown
		
			 As at May IB and SDA IB SDA 
		
		
			 1997 3,100 2,300 800 
			 1998 3,100 2,300 800 
			 1999 2,900 2,200 800 
			 2000 3,100 2,400 700 
			 2001 3,500 2,700 800 
			 2002 3,400 2,700 700 
			 2003 3,300 2,600 700 
			 2004 3,200 2,600 600 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.
	2. Figures may be subject to sampling variation and may not sum due to rounding.
	3. Incapacity benefit claimants include those in receipt of national insurance credits only.
	4. Information by parliamentary constituency is not available prior to 1997.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. samples.

Incapacity Benefit

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Preseli Pembrokeshire are receiving incapacity benefit; and how many were in receipt in May 1997.

Maria Eagle: The information is in the table.
	
		Incapacity benefit (IB) and severe disablement allowance(SDA) claimants in the Preseli Pembrokeshireparliamentary constituency
		
			  
		
		
			  May 1997 May 2004 
			 IB 4,500 3,800 
			 SDA 600 (6)500 
			 Total IB and SDA 5,100 4,300 
		
	
	(6) Figure is based on very few sample cases and is subject to a high degree of sampling variation. These figures should be used as a guide to the current situation only.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.
	2. Incapacity benefit claimants include those in receipt of national insurance credits only.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. samples.

Incapacity Benefit Employment Pilot Schemes

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the (a) locations and (b) performance indicators are of each of the incapacity benefit employment pilots.

Maria Eagle: The incapacity benefit reforms Pathways to Work pilots are located in Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, Argyll and Bute; Bridgend, Rhondda, Cynon and Taff; Derbyshire; Essex; Somerset; East Lancashire; Gateshead and South Tyneside. The first three started operations in October 2003, and the last four in April this year.
	We have not set specific performance indicators. However, the Pathways to Work pilots are subject to robust and rigorous evaluation, and we are constantly monitoring performance. Early results from the first phase pilots indicate a step up in performance with clear evidence among specialist advisers of increased confidence in dealing with this customer group, and positive attitudes to the reforms from many customers.

Incapacity Benefit Tribunals

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints his Department has received in the last 12 months about the conduct of incapacity benefit tribunals.

Maria Eagle: This is a matter for Christina Townsend, Chief Executive of the Appeals Service. She will write to my hon. Friend.
	Letter from Norman Egan to Mr. Alan Campbell, dated 27 October 2004
	The Secretary of State has asked Christina Townsend, Chief Executive, to reply to your question regarding how many complaints his department has received in the last 12 months about the conduct of incapacity benefit tribunals. Christina is away from the office at the moment and I have been asked to reply.
	The information you have requested is not available in the format required and cannot be broken down by specific benefit type. However, I can tell you that in the last 12 months the Appeals Service has received, across all benefit types, a total of 34 complaints about the conduct of its tribunals. This is compared to an appeals intake of 234,524 over the same period.

Incapacity Benefit Tribunals

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to reform incapacity benefit tribunals.

Maria Eagle: We have no plans to reform appeal tribunals which hear appeals relating to incapacity benefit.

Invalidity Benefit (Glasgow)

David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) men and (b) women living in the City of Glasgow are claiming invalidity benefit; and what percentage of the working population of the City these figures represent.

Maria Eagle: The information is in the table.
	
		Incapacity benefit (IB) and severe disablement allowance (SDA) claimants in Glasgow by gender at May 2004
		
			  All IB and SDA Working age IB and SDA Working age IB and SDA as a percentage of the working-age population 
		
		
			 Men 38,100 37,900 20 
			 Women 25,000 24,500 13 
			 All 63,100 62,400 17 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred.
	2. Numbers are based on a 5 per cent. sample, and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.
	3. Local authorities and Government Office Regions are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory.
	4. Mid 2003 Population estimates used.
	5. Figures include IB claimants receiving credits only.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre 5 per cent. sample

National Insurance

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when Mrs. S. Master of Rushey Mead, Leicester will receive her national insurance number.

Chris Pond: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to my hon. Friend.
	Letter from David Anderson to Mr. Keith Vaz, dated 27 October 2004
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply direct to your question concerning the allocation of a National Insurance Number to Mrs. S. Master of Edenhall Close, Rushey Mead, Leicester. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Details of individual claims are confidential and I will write to you directly on the matter in question.
	This is in line with Part 2, paragraph 12 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of companies which, under the regulations introduced on 8 October 2001 (a) are obliged to provide and (b) have so far failed to offer access to a stakeholder scheme; how many companies the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority has fined for non-compliance; and what the average value of those fines was.

Malcolm Wicks: Employers who employ five or more employees and who do not offer an occupational pension scheme to the whole of the workforce, or do not offer at least a 3 per cent. employer contribution to a personal pension, are required to designate a stakeholder pension scheme. There are an estimated 350,000 such firms at any one time. It is estimated that around 270,000 employers are complying with the requirement to designate a stakeholder pension scheme and approximately 70,000 employers that are required to provide their staff with access to a stakeholder pension do not do so. Of these non-compliant firms, it is estimated that nearly 80 per cent. have less than 10 employees. A civil penalty of 10,000 has been levied by the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority (Opra), and paid, by one employer for failure to designate a stakeholder pension scheme.
	Where employers are found to be non-compliant Opra gives them help and guidance to become compliant. However, where an employer is found to be deliberately not complying with the designation requirement, Opra will use its powers to enforce compliance in this area of the law where necessary.

Pension Credit

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of (a) female and (b) male pensioners in England and Wales are currently in receipt of the pension credit.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of individual female recipients of pension credit in England and Wales at the end of August represented approximately 30.6 per cent. of the total female population aged 60 or over. At the same date, the number of individual male recipients represented approximately 19.5 per cent. of the total male population aged 60 or over.
	Note:
	Individual recipients of pension credit include a small number of partners under age 60.

State Retirement Pension

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of (a) female and (b) male pensioners in England and Wales are in receipt of the full basic state pension.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is in the table.
	
		
			 Percentage 
			  Men Women 
		
		
			 England 89.1 48.0 
			 Wales 93.2 49.7 
		
	
	Note:
	Percentages are derived from a caseload sample as at 31 March 2004. The sample is subject to a high degree of sampling variation.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. sample

State Retirement Pension

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) men and (b) women have reached retirement age in the UK and are in receipt of a state retirement pension.

Malcolm Wicks: Of the population of 3,942,285 men aged 65 and over in Great Britain, 3,888,940 are in receipt of a state pension.
	Of the population of 6,801,053 women aged 60 and over in Great Britain, 6,531,120 are in receipt of a state pension.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are taken from a 5 per cent. sample and are subject to a high degree of sampling variation.
	2. Data is taken as at 31 March 2004.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre 5 per cent. sample.
	Office for National Statistics and General Register Office Scotland (population estimates as at mid-2003).

Disability (Two-ticks Symbol)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) private companies, (b) charitable and voluntary groups and (c) public sector organisations based in the Buckinghamshire constituency have adopted the two ticks symbol.

Maria Eagle: The available information is the table.
	
		Number of current disability symbol holders in Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire broken down by type of employer
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Local employer 69 
			 Council or local authority 11 
			 Voluntary organisation or registered charity 19 
			 Major or national organisation 9 
			 Government Department 1 
			 Total 109 
		
	
	Note:
	Information is collected by area of disability service provision and is not available broken down by constituency. Figures in the table relate to the local disability service area, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire which includes the constituency of Buckingham.
	Source:
	Disability symbol database

Winter Fuel Allowance

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in Castle Point will benefit from the winter heating allowance in 2004.

Malcolm Wicks: It is not possible to say how many households in Castle Point will benefit from a winter fuel payment in winter 200405. There were 13,765 households in receipt of a winter fuel payment for winter 200304 and we would expect the numbers to be similar.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest five.
	2. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
	3. Figures taken from the Matching Intelligence Data Analysis Service.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. sample.

Winter Fuel Allowance

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in the Tooting constituency will be eligible for the winter fuel allowance for winter 200405.

Malcolm Wicks: It is not possible to provide an accurate estimate of the number of people in the constituency of Tooting who are eligible to receive a winter fuel payment as DWP administrative data does not contain complete information on household circumstances and payments are based on household composition.
	The number of people in the Tooting constituency who received a winter fuel payment for winter 200304 was 11,205 and we would expect numbers for this winter to be similar.
	Note:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest five.
	2. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. sample.

Winter Fuel Allowance

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of people who need to make a claim to receive the 200405 winter fuel payment; and how many claims were received on or before 24 September.

Malcolm Wicks: We estimate that approximately 700,000 individuals in Great Britain reached age 60 in the qualifying period for the 200405 winter fuel payment. About half of these will be paid automatically but others, who are not in receipt of certain benefits, will need to make a claim.
	As at 24 September, 281,905 claim forms for a winter fuel payment had been received.
	Those eligible have until 30 March to make a claim and it is up to them whether they do so. We publicise the availability and eligibility for the payments throughout the claim period.

Winter Fuel Allowance

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners living in the London borough of Wandsworth benefited from last year's winter fuel payment scheme.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of people living in the London borough of Wandsworth who benefited from a winter fuel payment last winter was 33,230.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5.
	2. Local authority and parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. sample.

Spending Review (Job Cuts)

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of how job cuts proposed in the Spending Review will affect (a) his Department's staff and (b) services provided in Batley and Spen.

Maria Eagle: The Department's plans to reduce its staffing levels are part of a four-year programme of modernisation made possible by a significant investment of public money. The investment has enabled the Department to streamline its processes, modernise its IT and improve its service to customers as a result. The first phase of these plans designed to increase the efficiency of benefit processing was announced to the House on 29 June. The latest phase of the Department's continuing modernisation programme, which will lead to a more efficient and effective services to customers, was announced by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State on 16 September.
	It is too early to say precisely what will be the effect on staffing levels in Batley and Spen and there are currently no plans to change the service levels in the area. However, further announcements will be made as our plans progress.

TREASURY

Council Tax

Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in which streets in Sutton and Cheam constituency council tax rebanding has resulted in revaluations in the past two years; and what the reason for rebanding was in each case.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Census

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Office for National Statistics will release the full set of the 2001 Census data.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Mr. Len Cook to Cheryl Gillan, dated, 27 October 2004
	As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking when the Office for National Statistics will release the full set of the 2001 Census data. (193752)
	All reports to Parliament prepared under section 4.1 of the Census Act (1920) have now been released and are available in the House of Commons Library. Actual release dates are as follows:
	
		
			  Dates 
		
		
			 First results on population for England and Wales 30 September 2002 
			 Key Statistics for local authorities in England and Wales 13 February 2003 
			 Key Statistics for Assembly Constituencies and Assembly Electoral Regions for the National Assembly for Wales 3 April 2003 
			 National report for England and Wales 7 May 2003 
			 Key Statistics for health areas in England and Wales 31 July 2003 
			 Report for Parliamentary Constituencies 25 September 2003 
			 National report for England and Wales part 2 3 February 2004 
			 Report on the Welsh language 10 February 2004 
			 Key Statistics for parishes in England and communities in Wales 16 March 2004 
			 Key Statistics for postcode sectors in England and Wales 30 March 2004 
			 Key Statistics for urban areas in England and Wales 17 June 2004 
			 Key Statistics for urban areas (Regional volumes) 22 July 2004 
		
	
	Section 4.2 of the Census Act 1920 allows the Registrar General to meet a substantial need for additional Census statistics which are not covered by the reports to Parliament. An extensive programme of planned output under this provision has been completed, with delivery of the main set of detailed local results in September 2003, and with the completion of output on workplace and migration recently. These are available free of charge, on the National Statistics website where appropriate, or in entirety on electronic media. The Census continues to provide additional output is available.

Casinos

George Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on changing taxation levels for casino operators.

John Healey: The Chancellor of the Exchequer has had no discussions with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on these matters. Tax policy is a matter for the Treasury and is considered as part of the normal Budget process.

Child Support Payments

David Kidney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the implications of tagging a taxpayer's (a) national insurance contributions record and (b) tax records with the existence of a deductions from earnings order made in respect of child support payments;
	(2)  if he will introduce a procedure for alerting employers when taking on new employees to the existence of an existing deductions from earnings order in respect of child support payments.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue has made no assessment of the processes outlined in respect of child support payments.

Deaths

Iris Robinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many deaths there were in each of the last five years from (a) suicide, (b) drowning, (c) house fires, (d) other domestic accidents, (e) road traffic accidents, (f) murder and (g) manslaughter; and what percentage were (i) alcohol and (ii) drug related in each case.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mrs. Iris Robinson, dated 27 October 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many deaths there were in each of the last five years from (a) suicide, (b) drowning, (c) house fires, (d) other domestic accidents, (e) road traffic accidents, (f) murder and (g) manslaughter; and what percentage were (i) alcohol and (ii) drug-related in each case. (193833)
	The latest year for which data are available is 2003. The figures requested are shown in the tables below for each year from 1999 to 2003. Percentages which were drug-related or alcohol-related are not available. For suicide and assault, the method used is available. For these causes, figures are available on cases where the method used was poisoning by drugs or alcohol.
	
		Number of deaths by selected cause(7), persons, all ages, England and Wales, 1999 to 2003(8)
		
			  1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 (a) Suicide 5,216 4,968 4,705 4,665 4,659 
			 (b) Drowning 524 475 452 457 437 
			 (c) House fires (accidental) 295 319 328 311 321 
			 (d) Other domestic accidents 2,602 2,740 2,823 2,683 2,830 
			 (e) Land transport accidents 3,098 2,985 2,949 2,929 2,943 
			 (f and g) Assault 653 764 742 724 701 
		
	
	(7) The cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) for the years 1999 to 2000, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) for 2001 onwards. The codes used are listed below:
	SuicideICD-9 E950-E959, E980-E989 excluding deaths where the coroner's verdict was pending; ICD-10 X60-X84, Y10-Y34 excluding deaths where the coroner's verdict was pending
	DrowningICD-9 E890, E832, E910, E954, E964, E984; ICD-10 W65-W74, X71, Y21
	Accidental house firesE890-E899 where accident occurred at home; ICD-10 X00-X09 where accident occurred at home
	Other domestic accidentsICD-9 E849-E869, E880-E889, E900-E928 where accident occurred at home; ICD-10 W00-W99, X10-X59 where accident occurred at home
	Land transport accidentsICD-9 E800-E829; ICD-10 V01-V89
	AssaultICD-9 E960-E96, E988.8 where the coroner's verdict was pending; ICD-10 X85-Y09, Y33.9 where the coroner's verdict was pending
	(8) Figures are based on deaths occurring in each calendar year.
	
		Percentage of deaths due to suicide or assault(9) where the method used was drug(10) or alcohol poisoning, persons, all ages,England and Wales, 1999 to 2003
		
			  1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 (i) Suicide% which alcohol-related poisoning 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 
			 (ii) Suicide% which drug-related poisoning 25.9 25.7 26.5 24.2 24.9 
			 (i) Assault% which alcohol-related poisoning  
			 (ii) Assault% which drug-related poisoning 2.0 2.1 2.7 0.8 0.7 
		
	
	(9) The cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) for the years 1999 to 2000, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) for 2001 onwards. The codes used are listed below:
	Alcohol-related poisoning suicideas above where ICD-9 980 or ICD-10 T51 was coded as the main injury
	Drug-related poisoning suicideICD-9 E950.0-E950.5, E980.0-E980.5; ICD-10 X60-X64, Y10-Y14
	Alcohol-related poisoning assaultas above where ICD-9 980 or ICD-10 T51 was coded as the main injury
	Drug-related poisoning assaultICD-9 E962.0; ICD-10 X85.
	(10) Includes over-the-counter, prescription and illegal drugs

Employment Statistics (Tooting)

Tom Cox: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of working people living in the Tooting parliamentary constituency are in full-time employment.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 21 October 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about employment in Tooting. (193794)
	It is estimated that for the twelve months ending February 2003, the proportion of working age people in full time employment resident in the Tooting Parliamentary Constituency was 61.2%.
	These estimates from the Labour Force Survey are, as with any sample survey, subject to sampling variability.

Fuel Duties

Alex Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce measures to compensate for higher duties on petrol and diesel in those areas of the UK with the highest levels of petrol and diesel consumption; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The Chancellor of the Exchequer keeps all taxation policy under review and any changes are announced in the context of the Budget.

Hospices (VAT Relief)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 19 October 2004, Official Report, column 580W, on hospices (VAT relief), on which purchases hospices can benefit from specific VAT zero rates.

Dawn Primarolo: The construction of a new building for use as a hospice and the conversion of an existing non-residential building into a hospice are VAT zero-rated.
	Charitable hospices, and other charities which provide care or medical treatment for chronically sick and disabled people, also benefit from a number of other VAT zero rates on their purchases including medicines; medical, sterilising, laboratory and certain other equipment to be used for medical research, diagnosis or treatment; ambulances and certain other vehicles; equipment designed solely for chronically sick and disabled people; certain equipment designed for invalids, such as adjustable beds, commodes, patient hoists and wheelchairs; certain adaptations to buildings to facilitate chronically sick and disabled people, such as installation of lifts, the installation or adaptation of bathrooms and lavatories and the widening of doorways and passageways; and the adaptation of any goods to suit the condition of chronically sick and disabled people.

Local Authority Debt

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the (a) Public Sector Loan Board and (b) Treasury gives advice to local authorities on how to reschedule debt to reduce interest rates paid.

Stephen Timms: The prudent management of debt is the responsibility of local authorities acting on the advice of their Chief Financial Officers in accordance with professional standards. HM Treasury and the Public Works Loan Board do not offer advice on debt management to local authorities.

New Deal

Julian Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many personnel the Department has recruited under the New Deal in each of the past five years.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 25 October 2004
	I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer which the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Ruth Kelly) gave him on 25 October Official Report, columns 105154W.

Private Sector Finance

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much private sector finance has been issued in each year since it was introduced; what the average interest rate was in each year; in which years it is scheduled to be repaid; and whether a sinking fund is being established to meet these repayments.

Paul Boateng: Information on projects signed under the Private Finance Initiative can be found in the Signed Projects List which is published on the Treasury website at: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/F20/9F/ACF12A5.xls.
	The list contains data on the estimated capital value of investment delivered via PFI and on the year in which individual projects were signed.
	Under PFI repaying the debt raised to finance projects is the responsibility of the private sector. The unitary charge, which is paid to the private sector if the project is delivering the high quality outputs specified in the contract, covers both the provision of services and financing costs.
	Information on the costs of the debt raised by the private sector to finance individual projects and the times at which it plans to repay such debt is not held centrally.

Private Sector Finance

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the projected levels of private sector finance are over the next three years.

Paul Boateng: Figures for the estimated levels of capital spending by the private sector in the financial years 200405 to 200607 can be found in the Budget Report 2004. Within the report, table C17 provides departmental estimates of capital spending by the private sector (signed deals). Table C18 provides an estimate of the capital value of projects that are at the preferred bidder stage.

Private Sector Finance

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government are taking to ensure that the contractor takes some risk in private sector finance agreements.

Paul Boateng: Private sector contractors always take risk in PFI projects. Examples of risks commonly transferred to the private sector are construction risk, or the risk associated with the design of the building and its appropriateness for providing the required service.
	Guidance on how to appropriately evaluate which risks should be shared or transferred is given in the Standardisation of PFI Contracts Version 3 (SoPC 3) and the Treasury's Value for Money Guidance on PFI. Both documents are available on the Treasury website at: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/documents/public private partnerships/key documents/ppp keydocs index.cfm.

Public Services

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average annual cost to (a) local authorities, (b) police authorities, (c) fire authorities and (d) NHS trusts of the (i) withdrawal of advance corporation tax credit on pensions and (ii) increase in national insurance implemented in the 2003 budget has been since their introduction.

Dawn Primarolo: Data by type of public service are not available.

Red Diesel

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment the Treasury has made of the increase in revenue the Exchequer would receive if the UK's derogation to the European Energy Products Directive which enables private boat users to purchase red diesel was not extended beyond 2006.

John Healey: Lack of robust data available means no reliable assessment has to date been made of potential revenue gains for the Exchequer from the loss of the UK's derogation from the European Energy Products Directive, which enables private boat users in the UK to purchase rebated gas oil.

Royal Residences

Alan Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his reply of 11 October 2004, Official Report, column 73W, what the cost of the lease is; and whether it is paid (a) in advance and (b) on an instalment basis.

Stephen Timms: The cost and terms of the lease are confidential as it is privately funded. However, commercial valuations were obtained on both sides by independent external valuers.

Royal Residences

Alan Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the current estimate is of the cost of the refurbishment required in the first two years of the lease granted to HRH the Duke of York relating to property in Windsor Great Park.

Stephen Timms: The lease specifies that the tenant must spend a substantial sum on the restoration and modernisation of the property. However, as this is private expenditure, it will remain confidential.

Royal Residences

Alan Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who bears the cost of maintenance of property and land in Windsor Great Park covered by the recently agreed lease granted to HRH the Duke of York.

Stephen Timms: The lease granted to HRH The Duke of York stipulates that The Duke of York, as lessee, is responsible for all repairs and maintenance of both the property and grounds.

Royal Residences

Alan Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the property and land recently granted by lease to HRH the Duke of York in Windsor Great Park qualifies for (a) UK and (b) EU (i) agricultural and (ii) environmental grants.

Stephen Timms: The land held under lease by HRH the Duke of York at Royal Lodge does not qualify for UK or EU agricultural or environmental grants.

Siemens Business Services

Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on proposals by Siemens Business Services to transfer National Savings and Investment jobs to India.

Stephen Timms: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement made by Siemens on 13 August 2004.

Single Mothers

Michael Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many single mothers aged (a) under 18, (b) 18 to 30 and (c) over 30 years are in receipt of child benefit in (i) Angus constituency and (ii) Scotland.

Dawn Primarolo: The numbers requested cannot be obtained from the records held. The child benefit data system does not hold up-to-date data on whether each recipient is single or part of a couple. The latest available figures covering all recipients in each local authority, for November 2003, appear on the Inland Revenue website, at www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/child benefit/menu.htm.

Special Advisers

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many unpaid special advisers the Department has; what their names are; and which Government (a) bodies, (b) committees and (c) strategy groups each unpaid adviser (i) belongs to, (ii) advises and (iii) works alongside.

Stephen Timms: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer which the former Financial Secretary (Ruth Kelly) gave the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith) on 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 246W.

Stamp Duty/Inheritance Tax

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what the estimated tax yield from (a) stamp duty on domestic property and (b) inheritance tax is for each year to 200809 on the assumption that home price inflation is (i) zero, (ii) minus 10 per cent. per annum and (iii) plus 10 per cent. per annum;
	(2)  what assumptions the Government have made about the level of (a) stamp duty receipts on domestic property and (b) inheritance tax receipts in the period to 200809.

Dawn Primarolo: Forecast receipts from inheritance tax and stamp duty for 200405 are given in Table C8 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/CF2/16/bud04 chc 312.pdf. Forecasts for 200506 will be given in the pre-Budget report towards the end of the year. The breakdown of stamp duty into receipts on residential property and the effects of the alternative house price assumptions are not available.

Tax Credits

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit compensation payments have been authorised since April; and what the (a) total and (b) average value of those payments was.

Dawn Primarolo: 10,200 payments were authorised between April and September 2004, inclusive. Their total value was 670,000 and the average value was 65.

Teenage Pregnancy (Barking and Dagenham)

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the teenage pregnancy rate in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham has been in each year since 1997.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Jon Cruddas, dated 27 October 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the teenage pregnancy rate in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham has been in each year since 1997. (194421)
	The most recent year for which conceptions statistics are available is 2002 and figures for this year are provisional estimates. The data requested are given in the table below.
	
		Conceptions to women aged under 18numbers and rates: London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, 1997 to 2002
		
			 Year Number Rate(11) 
		
		
			 1997 193 69.0 
			 1998 156 54.6 
			 1999 180 61.2 
			 2000 216 67.5 
			 2001 215 63.6 
			 2002(12) 236 73.3 
		
	
	(11) Rate per 1,000 women aged 15 to 17
	(12) Provisional estimates

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Caravan and Camping Exempted Organisations

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the Association of Caravan and Camping Exempted Organisations was consulted in his review of permitted development rights; and if he will list the organisations which were consulted.

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has made no proposals to amend permitted development rights for caravan sites. A research report into permitted development, commissioned from consultants, was published last year on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website, www.odpm.gov.uk. This was the initial phase of a review of permitted development by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. A list of those whom the researchers contacted has been made available in the Library of the House. We intend to consult early next year on changes to certain permitted development rights, but not on the rights to station caravans. If we decide to propose changes in that area, we would again go out to public consultation. The Association of Caravan and Camping Exempted Organisations will be welcome to contribute its views on any proposals we make.

E-targets

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when all local authorities are expected to supply land searches electronically.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister continues to encourage local authorities to subscribe to the National Land Information Service (NLIS) as the best way of e-enabling land searches. In turn this should improve the speed of response and efficiency of the service. NLIS has already been used for over three million searches and achieved an estimated 3035 per cent. of the e-conveyancing market share. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister anticipates that as part of the overall e-government target all local authorities should offer e-enabled land searches by December 2005.

E-targets

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on local authorities' progress towards the Government's e-targets.

Phil Hope: The target for local authorities in England is 100 per cent. capability in electronic delivery of priority services by December 2005, in ways that customers will use. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister anticipates all authorities reaching this target. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will have new data on their progress in the new year. Authorities have been requested to submit this year's Implementing Electronic Government statements by 20 December.

High Hedges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister by what date Part 8 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 relating to high hedges will be fully implemented.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is now finalising regulations and guidance and expects the complaints system to be fully operational early in 2005.

Housing Bill

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister in what form electronic versions of sellers' packs must be made available; who will have access to this information; and how the vendor will recover his or her costs from the purchaser.

Keith Hill: There is no requirement for home information packs to be kept in an electronic format. Potential buyers may ask for a copy of the pack and the Housing Bill provides that this may be provided in an electronic format if the potential buyer agrees to it. This will assist efficiency and minimise costs. The Bill also specifies circumstances in which a copy may be refused, allows conditions to be attached and for a reasonable charge covering the costs of making and sending a copy to be made.

Local Government Finance

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to use data from the 2001 census in calculating the local government finance settlement; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Raynsford: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 19 October 2004, Official Report, columns 57071W.

Planning Appeals

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of planning appeals submitted to the Planning Inspectorate in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004 to date (i) have been and (ii) he expects to be determined within 30 weeks.

Keith Hill: The information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, in 200304 the Inspectorate received 22,548 planning appeals (in England) and issued 18,914 decisions. 87 per cent. of the decisions issued that year were despatched within 30 weeks of receipt of the appeal. In 200405 (year to date30 September) the Inspectorate has received 12,222 planning appeals (in England) and has issued 7,339 decisions. 79 per cent. of the decisions so far issued in 200405 have been despatched within 30 weeks of receipt of the appeal.
	It is likely that over the year as a whole the proportion of appeals determined within 30 weeks will reduce. This is due to the considerable growth in the number of planning appeals received; in the first six months of the year receipts were about 23 per cent. more than in the same period last year.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Security Screen

Gordon Prentice: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what the Commission's latest estimate is of the cost of the permanent security screen to be installed in the Commons Chamber.

Archy Kirkwood: In the debate on the security screen on 22 April 2004, Official Report, column 467, the Leader of the House quoted a figure of 1.3 million. Although the design is still at a comparatively early stage the forecast has been reduced to 1 million. This figure includes the capital costs, designers' and surveyors' fees plus VAT. The estimate will be subject to formal review on completion of the design later this year.